Dignity, mega-projects, and the problem of scale

Abstract

I extend Grossman and Trubina's argument about dignity in urban geography in one direction: the problem of scale. It is worth noting that both of their case studies – mega-events, and large housing estates – involve mega-projects. There is an inherent conflict between the micro-scale of the individual and community – where the lived experience of dignity occurs – and the much bigger scale of the mega-project – where much contemporary city-making occurs. Governance for the micro-scale is inherently skeptical of big urban transformations, prioritizing individual rights to the city: to home, to neighborhood, to public space. In contrast, governance for the mega-scale values big picture thinking and economies of scale, where the common good might trump the dignity of individual urban citizens. Reconciling these scalar conflicts is a foundational problem in the ‘urban age’ of rapid and global mega-urbanization.