Gentrification of Modern Cities - Assignment Example

Name Tutor Institution Date Introduction Gentrification is one of the significant characteristics of urban renaissance. The perspective that gentrification of modern cities is a celebrated notion and yet an issue that is condemned is an aspect that is very debatable. Despite of bring tangible positive changes to the community the gentrification process has on the other hand wrecked the lives of a certain class of city dwellers. This presentation seeks to analyze the reasons why Gentrification is often celebrated as much as it is condemned. It will further evaluate if the aim of urban renaissance is to develop livable cities and greater urban diversity or provide a charter for practices of economic and social exclusion (Zukin 12). Gentrification is generally referred to as the influx of wealthier individuals in a particular urban area which results to changes in the areas culture and character. The term is frequently used negatively to basically suggest displacing of the poor population by rich outsiders. Yet it is essential to take note of the fact that the effects of gentrification are contradictory and complex, and the real impacts that are associated to the process vary. Many of the contributions linked to the process are actually desirable. Every one would defiantly be pleased to see new investments in infrastructure and buildings, reduction in crime and a rise in economic activities, nevertheless the benefits derived from the arrival of the new progress are enjoyed disproportionately, only the individuals who have newly arrived benefit, while the initial inhibitors find themselves socially and economically marginalized. Setha (109) highlights that social stratification began when communities that are suburban gated were developed, the upper and middle class made an exodus to areas inhibited by the people with low incomes and created gates which completely separated the two lower and the upper class residents. Zukin (35) draws attention to the fact that there has been increased slippage that exists within urban cities whereby people from different classes are segregated. The other reason to explain why Gentrification of modern cities is often celebrated as much as it is condemned, Setha (110) makes a revelation the gentrification is basically part of the grater shift in the cultural, political and economic system. For instance in the political perspective Smith highlights that gentrification promotes democratization of housing which hardly comes about if only people of low social class lived exclusively segregated. He further states that the process is useful in defusing change within a certain population. As a result in despite of the negative effects that may be inflicted on the inhibitors of a certain neighborhood, they would on the other hand gain from the new changes. For instance the construction of houses for high income individuals actually benefits the entire community because the low income individuals would actually work harder to meet up to the standards of the newly constructed houses. Gentrification is a celebrated factor, as Jacobs (105) highlight that at a large extent gentrification has often been a mistaken notion that does not necessarily results to the displacement of the existing residents, and further leading to an influx of tenants who are wealthier, however research indicates that within a period of five years ,population experiences changes on its own , that about half of the tenants in a particular neighborhood move at their own will in despite of the economic and social changes that may be affecting the area at that particular time. On the other hand the gentrification process becomes a condemned factor because it promotes the essence of the concept of Darwinism whereby the fittest in the society are meant to survive while the unfit will be eliminated, if the low class individuals integrate themselves in the newly devised system, there are possibilities that may not effectively fit within the established framework as a result they will definitely be eliminated whereby they would move to areas were they can best survive. When making an evaluation of whether urban renaissance seeks to develop a livable city and a greater urban diversity or provide a charter for practices of economic and social alienation, various perspectives can be used to analyze this particular notion. Chris (203) highlights that since the late 1990s gentrification has greatly changed New York City, through pushing in transformation to neighborhoods that had devastating living conditions for decades. During this particular period gentrification become the main source of appealing housing and good access to transport facilities and amenities. Harlem also experienced a shift from low cost housing to individual home ownership. In deed these particular changes can be attributed to the development of urban diversity and establishment of a livable city. Urban renaissance can be termed as useful to society if its main aim is to enhance replacement rather than displacement of people in society. A well planned urban revolutionary process should not exploit but rather nature a particular class of individuals. If the process is well undertaken, it becomes a significant aspect of reducing class differences that exist in society, this is because as the integration of economic and social development is enhanced in a particular area, the original inhabitants continue to adopt and improve their living standards due to the desire of fitting effectively in the existing social and economic context. For instance people who used to live on rented houses would work harder in order to own their own houses rather then rent houses at high costs Davis (88). Investment in a particular urban area is one essential contributor to the development of urban diversity for instance if the use of the gentrification process attracts investors in the area, the long term dwellers of the area are bound to benefit form the investments made. For instance they would benefit from improved health care systems, housing and transport systems. If the main goal of the process is not to displace the low class citizens then economic and social alienation would not be present. One significant example of the impact of investors is the Hillsborough Stadium located in Sheffield in the U.K. The stadium was originally associated to hooligan people, however after investors invested on the stadium and improved its condition by putting proper seats and grounds, the Liverpool team that played on the ground benefited by being soccer giants in the latter years (Neil 89). Leonardo (332) observed an increase of ‘underclass’ hegemony within the national and local sphere in the early 90’s in the U.S. He further highlights that the funds for fighting poverty and urban renewal during this period did not give much benefits to the urban poor dwellers they were used to enhance the strategic interest of greater urban diversity. The result of unplanned gentrification is that it led to conflict in many cities which are mainly provoked by two factors which are practices concerned with property rights and the degree of polarization. In regions surrounded by a high level of social polarization, the conflict inherent becomes inflammatory because gentrification projects result to conflicts such as ownership of space and property. For instance in countries such as Pakistan utter chaos has been witnessed based on class differences , whereby the upper class believe that they have a right to control and even take over any part of the city they desire, develop it and later declare it their exclusive property. This happened in one of the beaches in the country the Clifton beach located in Karachi. Zukin (281) observed that the culture is a symbol of the economy, the symbolic economy is usually comprised of two production systems that are parallel, the theme of the most dominate production system which is for the high class inhibitors is incorporated in the feel of streets, buildings and parks within the urban area. This further brings about controversy because public space becomes identified with only a certain class of people. The less powerful inhibitors are therefore segregated both economically and even socially as a result of gentrification. The other factor that makes urban renaissance be a process of enhancing economic and social alienation is that in certain selected cases such as in the Netherlands ethnic segregation is influenced by economic differences which are responded to by social welfare distribution. The region lacks apparent countervailing policies to protect the initial residents of urban areas, this has resulted to new immigrants taking control of the economy and thus alienating the poor both economically and socially. The Dutch community has for many years dominated the most urban areas due to the control of economic resources and urban development as a result the other ethnic group in the country felt alienated for years (Davis 87). Conclusion Gentrification of urban cities is a concept that is highly controversial this is because developers convert neighborhoods that are lower income based into communities that are more up scale, the process basically has an aim of enhancing urban renewal and can be perceived as both useful to society and also destructive due to the main impact which it causes to the urban poor; displacement. Urban renaissance is also significantly marked by the gentrification process therefore the consequences linked to trying to revolutionize poor urban areas are also to great extents controversial, this is because there are those who believe that it promotes economic and social alienation on the other hand there are individuals who would perceive urban renaissance as a strategy of developing a livable city and creation of urban diversity. All in all what society requires is equality, change, development and lack class divisions, as a result if the process of revolutionizing urban centers is well planned and considers the needs of all then diversity and development of urban centers should not result to social cultural and economic rifts but rather equality in society. Works Cited Chris, Hamnett. ed. Gentrification, postindustrialisation, and industrial and occupational restructuring in global cities, in A Companion to the City. Bridge, G. and Watson, S. Oxford: Blackwell, 2003: 200-205. Sharon, Zukin. Artists and Immigrants in New York City. In The Cultures of Cities, Cambridge, and Mass: Blackwells, 1993:280. Sharon Zukin. Creation of the Loft Life Style, in Loft Living. Baltimore: John Hopkins University, 1982:12, 30-35. Micaela di Leonardo. Patterns of Culture Wars, in Exotics at Home. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1998:332. Mike Davis. The militarisation of Urban Space. New York: Hill and Yang, 1996:87-88. Jane Jacob.ed. The Uses of Sidewalks, in Metropolis, Center and Symbol of our Times. Philip Kasinitz. New York: New York University Press, 1995:104-105. Setha Low. Behind the Gates. New York: Routledge, 2003:109-110. Neil Smith. The new urban frontier: gentrification and the revanchist city.London: New York: Routledge, 1996:89. Read More