Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

Race, Protest, and Public Space

Contextualizing Lefebvre in the U.S. City

Bibliographic Data

ID7426331
AuthorsErin Mccann (0000-0002-6219-0693, Ohio University, corresponding author), Eugene J Mccann
Year1999
Volume31
Issue2
Pages163-184
Publication date1999-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAntipode (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0066-4812 • E-ISSN: 1467-8330
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-8330.00098
OpenAlexW2168224824
LanguageEN
Citations received144
References cited27

Since the early 1990s, Henri Lefebvre's theory of the social production of space has become widely used by Anglophone academics to understand contemporary urban processes in the Western world. This article argues that care must be taken in transporting Lefbevre's theoretical framework from one context to another. When applied in places like U.S. cities, it must be contextualized in relation to significant sociospatial processes, especially race. It is also argued that when the racialized geographies of U.S. cities are taken into account, Lefebvre's work—with its focus on the role representation plays in the production of space—aids our understanding of contemporary urban processes. The article develops this argument through an engagement with the racialized public spaces in and around downtown Lexington, Kentucky. The killing of an African‐American teenager by a White police officer and the ensuing violence and commentary, especially two editorial cartoons, provide the opportunity to contextualize Lefebvre's theory. Furthermore, the case allows us to understand the role racialized representations of space play into the construction of urban geographies. The paper concludes by emphasizing the role of the body in Lefebvre's understanding of space and suggests that his twin notions of “the right to the city” and “the right to difference” hold out hope for the grassroots development of antiracist urban public spaces

Argument (complex analysis · Downtown · Gentrification · Grassroots · Public space · Representation · Homelessness and Social Issues · Urban Planning and Governance · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies

  • Middle-Class Déjà Vu

    Open Access•Mark Liechty•Papeles del CEIC•2023

  • The conceptualization of the physical space in social theory

    Open Access•Svetlana Radović•Sociologija•2016

  • Plantation Landscapes

    Open Access•Sarah K Croucher•Capitalism and Cloves•2015

  • The Anarchist Roots of Geography

    Simon Springer•Anarchist Roots of Geography•2010

  • A new way of designing places and experiences

    Open Access•Kirstin Hallmann, Harald Pechlaner et al.•European Journal of Tourism…•2024

  • Everyday dog politics

    Open Access•Yihan Yan•Environment and Planning C…•2026

  • Speculative Criminality at Home

    Open Access•Rae Baker•Urban Planning•2025

  • Tourist accessibility of heritage spaces through the lens of spatial justice

    Yim King Penny Wan•Current Issues in Tourism•2024

  • Addressing crime, violence and socio-spatial deprivation in a vulnerable community

    Theodore S Petrus, Theodore Petrus•Development Southern Africa•2021

  • Urban planning history of Malawi

    Evance Mwathunga, Ronnie Donaldson•Planning Perspectives•2022

  • Neoliberal Urbanity and the Right to Housing of the Urban Poor in Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Open Access•Lutfun Nahar Lata•Environment and Urbanization Asia•2020

  • Direito do Negro à Cidade

    Open Access•Ana Flávia Rezende, Luís Fernando Silva Andrade•urbe Revista Brasileira de Gestão…•2022

  • Racial projections

    Genevieve Carpio, Genevieve G Carpio•Information Communication & Society•2018

  • Spaces of afterlife

    Open Access•Selina Chew Jing Qi•Singapore Journal of Tropical…•2024

  • Provincializing urban appropriation

    Open Access•Mary Lawhon, Joseph Pierce et al.•Singapore Journal of Tropical…•2018

  • The Anarchist Roots of Geography

    Simon Springer•Anarchist Roots of Geography•2016

  • The production of bedspace

    Open Access•Matthew L Mitchelson•Geographica Helvetica•2014

  • Histories of place

    Open Access•B Byrne, Lindsey Garratt et al.•Identities•2023

  • Transnational spaces of exclusion in Glasgow

    Kirsten Emiko Mcallister•Visual Studies•2015

  • Centrifugal Bostons and Competing Imaginaries in Mystic River

    Nicolette Rowe•Journal for Cultural Research•2008

  • Towards a Sociological Analysis of London 2012

    Open Access•Michael Silk•Sociology•2011

  • Unity through separation

    Anne Kirstine Rønn•Social movement studies•2025

  • Henri Lefebvre in Contexts

    Open Access•Neil Brenner, Stuart Elden•Antipode•2001

  • Health, Identification and Pleasure

    Open Access•Xiujie Ma, Jing Xie et al.•International Journal of…•2021

  • Orlonia's “Literacy‐in‐Persons”

    Open Access•Amy Suzanne Johnson, Lauren Cowles•Journal of Adolescent & Adult…•2009

  • From Roots to Routes

    Open Access•Seyma Ayyıldız•Sociology Lens•2024

  • We just need the developer to develop”

    Open Access•Kelly Ward, Andrew Wood•Environment and Planning C…•2021

  • Material Obstacles to Protest in the Urban Built Environment

    Jillian Schwedler•Contention•2020

  • Spatiality of China's Market-Oriented Urbanism

    Yushu Zhu•Territory Politics Governance•2014

  • Gender and Realisation of Women’s Right to the City in Tehran

    L Rahbari, M Sharepour•Asian journal of social science•2015

  • Reflections on “place attachment”

    Open Access•Tuba İnal-Çekiç, Senem Kozaman-Aygün et al.•Journal of Housing and the Built…•2023

  • Local knowledge is required

    Open Access•Fraser Sturt•Journal of Maritime Archaeology•2006

  • Chocolate City, Rest in Peace”

    Open Access•Allison Suppan Helmuth•City and Community•2019

  • Borrowed production

    Gouxiong Yu, Shuru Zhong•Journal of Tourism and Cultural…•2021

  • The production of space in metropolitan regions

    Open Access•Michael Buser•Planning Theory•2012

  • A tale of two squares

    Open Access•Rania Fawzy, Rania Magdi Fawzy•Visual Communication•2018

  • The neoliberal city and the pro-active complicity of the citizen consumer

    Open Access•Mile•Journal of Consumer Culture•2012

  • How Istanbul's youth reproduce a differential space

    Open Access•Yıldırım Şentürk, Saim Buğra Kurban•Turkish Studies•2025

  • Urban Marxism and the Post-colonial Question

    Stefan Kipfer, Kanishka Goonewardena•Historical Materialism•2013

  • The Impact of Neighbourhood Planning and Localism on House-building in England

    Quintin Bradley, William Sparling•Housing Theory and Society•2016

  • Producing space through social work

    Open Access•Sander Van Lanen, Erik Meij•European Journal of Social Work•2025

  • From performance to politics? Constructing public and counterpublic in the singing of red songs

    Open Access•J Qian•European Journal of Cultural…•2014

  • Making Asian students, making students Asian

    Open Access•Francis Leo Collins, Felicity Collins•Asia Pacific Viewpoint•2006

  • Power relations, conflicts and everyday life in urban public space

    Dimitris Pettas•City•2019

  • From encountering confederate flags to finding refuge in spaces of solidarity

    Ethel Tungohan•Space and Polity•2016

  • Making historical preservation in Chicago

    David Wilson•Space and Polity•2004

  • Policy Spaces

    Jay D Gatrell, Jeff Worsham•Space and Polity•2002

  • Citizenship, Civic Memory and Urban Performance

    Katrinka Somdahl-Sands, Katrinka Somdahl‐Sands•Space and Polity•2008

  • The Spaces of Social Movements

    Jeff Garmany•Space and Polity•2008

  • Public injecting drug use and the social production of harmful practice in high-rise tower blocks (London, UK)

    Open Access•Parkin, Ross Coomber•Health & Place•2011

  • Safety and danger in downtown Vancouver

    Open Access•D Fast, Jean Shoveller et al.•Health & Place•2009

  • Bay Street as Contested Space

    Open Access•Nona P Martin, Virgil Henry Storr•Space and Culture•2012

  • Fostering supportive environments

    Colin Hastings•The Review of Education Pedagogy…•2016

  • The Multiplex City

    Open Access•Umberto Rossi•European Urban and Regional Studies•2004

  • Informal motorbike taxi drivers and mobility injustice on Hanoi's streets. Negotiating the curve of a new narrative

    Open Access•Sarah Turner•Journal of Transport Geography•2020

  • Critical Legal Studies and the Politics of Space

    Open Access•Chris Butler•Social & Legal Studies•2009

  • Ground-Truthing” Representations of Social Space

    Open Access•Jana Carp•Journal of Planning Education and…•2008

  • Cities of Meaning

    Open Access•Kathryn Howell, Kathryn L Howell et al.•Journal of Planning Education and…•2026

  • Space, Scale, Governance, and Representation

    Deborah Martins, Erin Mccann et al.•Journal of Urban Affairs•2003

  • Gentrification and the Right to the City

    John E Balzarini, John Balzarini et al.•Journal of Urban Affairs•2015

  • Shaping enjoyment and belonging at school

    Claudia Diera•Curriculum Inquiry•2023

  • In poor health

    Open Access•Elizabeth A Eisenhauer, Elizabeth Eisenhauer•GeoJournal•2001

  • Public spaces in the occupied Palestinian territories

    Open Access•Zahraa Zawawi, Eric Corijn et al.•GeoJournal•2012

  • From urban political economy to cultural political economy

    Open Access•Ramon Ribera-Fumaz•Progress in Human Geography•2009

  • Placing race

    Open Access•Douglas Allen, Douglas L Allen et al.•Progress in Human Geography•2018

  • Henri Lefebvre

    Open Access•Stefan Kipfer, Parastou Saberi et al.•Progress in Human Geography•2012

  • Enacting Neighborhood 1

    Deborah G Martin•Urban Geography•2003

  • Immigration Policing Through the Backdoor

    Monica W Varsanyi•Urban Geography•2008

  • Incommensurability, Land Use, and the Right to Space

    Karen Schmelzkopf•Urban Geography•2002

  • Small city politics in the Global South

    Ammar Adenwala, Sarah Turner•Urban Geography•2020

  • Geography of Protest

    Taru Salmenkari•Urban Geography•2009

  • Re-Envisioning the City

    Katherine Jones, Katherine T Jones et al.•Urban Geography•2009

  • In search of common grounds

    Open Access•Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem, Rachel McWhinney•Cities•2015

  • Feminism and the Physical Cultural Studies Assemblage

    H Thorpe, Amy Marfell•Leisure Sciences•2019

  • Community Participation

    John J Williams, John Williams•Policy Studies•2006

  • Claiming Our Turf

    Sandra J Schmidt•Theory & Research in Social…•2013

  • The Socio-Spatial Contexts of HIV Risk for People Who Inject Drugs in Public Spaces in Nigeria

    Open Access•Ediomo‐ubong E Nelson•Contemporary Drug Problems•2020

  • Is There Also a Right to the Countryside

    Open Access•Laura Barraclough•Antipode•2013

  • Contesting the Divided City

    Open Access•Ophélie Véron•Antipode•2016

  • From Revanchism to Ambivalence

    Open Access•Gengzhi Huang, Desheng Xue et al.•Antipode•2014

  • Public Space as Emancipation

    Open Access•Simon Springer•Antipode•2011

  • Citizenship and Belonging in the Rural Fringe

    Open Access•Laura Beth Bugg•Antipode•2013

  • Consuming the City

    Open Access•Sally A Weller, Sally Weller•Urban Studies•2013

  • Imaginations of post-suburbia

    Open Access•Cameron Johnson, Tom Baker et al.•Urban Studies•2019

  • Urban parks and urban problems

    Open Access•Kevin Loughran•Urban Studies•2020

  • Best Places

    Open Access•Erin Mccann, Eugene J Mccann•Urban Studies•2004

  • Capitalism and Cloves

    Open Access•Sarah K Croucher•Capitalism and Cloves•2014

  • Returning Home to Our Rightful Place”

    Priscilla Mccutcheon•Geoforum•2013

  • The cultural politics of local economic development

    Open Access•Erin Mccann, Eugene J Mccann•Geoforum•2002

  • Public-space planning in four Nordic cities

    Open Access•Merle Jacob, Tomas Hellström•Geoforum•2010

  • Negotiated space

    Open Access•Jay D Gatrell, Noga Collins-Kreiner•Geoforum•2006

  • Religion on the Fringe

    Laura Beth Bugg•Australian Geographer•2012

  • Defend the Ghetto”

    James A Tyner•Annals of the Association of…•2006

  • Violence, Democracy, and the Neoliberal “Order”

    Simon Springer•Annals of the Association of…•2009

  • Beyond Cooptation or Resistance

    Sarah Elwood•Annals of the Association of…•2006

  • Rhodes University through Henri Lefebvre’s spatial triad

    Open Access•Siyathokoza Mtolo•Area•2021

  • The lure of the local

    Open Access•Don Mitchell•Progress in Human Geography•2001

  • The socialities of everyday urban walking and the ‘right to the city

    Open Access•Jennie Middleton•Urban Studies•2016

  • Placing Lefebvre

    Open Access•Joseph Pierce, John R Pierce et al.•Antipode•2015

  • The role of social representation in producing public spaces

    Open Access•A M Ibrahim, Mayas Nadim Ahmad Taha et al.•Urban Governance•2025

  • Social Justice and the City

    D C Harvey, Andrew Herod et al.•Social Justice and the City•2009

  • In Place/Out of Place

    Tim Cresswell•In Place/Out of Place•2010

  • Variations on a Theme

    Nathan Platte•Making music in Selznick's…•2017

  • Justice and the Politics of Difference

    Danielle S Allen, Iris Marion Young•Justice and the Politics of…•2012

  • Is Awareness Enough? The Contradictions of Self-Care in a Chronic Disease Clinic

    Christiana Miewald•Human Organization•1997

  • Introduction

    Don Mitchell•Urban Geography•1996

  • Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard

    G Valentine•Urban Geography•1996

  • Neotraditional Developments

    Erin Mccann, Eugene J Mccann•Urban Geography•1995

  • Political Violence, Order, and the Legal Construction of Public Space

    Don Mitchell•Urban Geography•1996

  • Constructing Difference in Public Spaces

    Susan Ruddick•Urban Geography•1996

  • Lefebvre, Anti‐logos and Nietzsche

    Open Access•Andy Merrifield•Antipode•1995

  • The Rhetoric of Urban Space

    Ernest J Wilson, Elizabeth Wilson•New left review•1995

  • The Formation of Black Residential Areas in Lexington, Kentucky, 1865-1887

    John Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg•The Journal of Southern History•1982

  • The Socio-Spatial Dialectic

    Edward W Soja•Annals of the Association of…•1980

  • Multiple Stable States and Models of Riparian Vegetation Succession on the Animas River, Colorado

    William L Baker, Gillian M Walford•Annals of the Association of…•1995

  • The “Magic of the Mall”

    Jon Goss•Annals of the Association of…•1993

  • The Sphinx in the city

    Alison Ravetz•City•1996

  • The production of space

    Henri Lefebvre•The production of space•1991

  • Social justice and the city

    David Harvey•Social justice and the city•1988

  • Place and Space

    Andrew Merrifield•Transactions of the Institute of…•1993

  • Contested Visions of a Modern City

    Open Access•Nicholas R Fyfe•Environment and Planning A…•1996

  • The Social Production of Urban Space

    Susan Ruddick, Mark Gottdiener•Economic Geography•1987

  • Neotraditional Towns and Urban Villages

    Open Access•Karen E Till, K Till•Environment and Planning D…•1993

  • The Hidden Histories and Geographies of Neotraditional Town Planning

    Open Access•Karen Falconer Al-Hindi, Karen Falconer Al‐hindi et al.•Environment and Planning D…•1997

  • The Condition of Postmodernity

    D C Harvey, Cole Harris et al.•New Social Theory Reader•2020

  • A Marx for Our Time

    Mark Gottdiener•Sociological Theory•1993

Unique citing works144
Citations per year5,33
Citation span1999 - 2026 (28)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedYes
Citation typesNeutral: 142
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae