Gentrification Studies Research Articles

Territorial Stigma and Rent Gap Production: The Logics of Gentrification in Gresham and Middlehaven, Middlesbrough

AbstractRent gap theory has long been a staple of gentrification studies, and given that gentrification and territorial stigma have been shown to be closely related, the distinct ways in which the rent gap operates in territorially stigmatised spaces demands attention. This paper examines how governance approaches within territorially stigmatised spaces shape the particular ways in which rent gaps are opened. It illustrates how the rent gap theory has operated in practice across two contexts within Middlesbrough, a town in the North East of England. By tracing the governance approaches which shape the form that rent gap production takes across these contexts, this paper provides evidence for how the rent gap theory operates in practice in stigmatised areas, and indicates how the form which the process of rent gap production takes is contingent upon the particular logics of governance operating within a locality at the point of production.

The influence of urban green and recreational areas on the price of housing in Zagreb

Urban green and recreational spaces are important for residents and one of the foundations for the functioningof cities. They offer numerous benefits, including the influence on the price of real estate as an economic benefit.In this paper, the influence of green and recreational areas in Zagreb on the price of apartments in residential buildings is analysed using the hedonic pricing model. The data for the study was processed and analysed using a geographic information system. A local hedonic price model was developed. The results show that some of the observed green and recreational areas increase the price of housing due to their proximity, while others decrease it. Some areas have no influence on the price of housing. The influence of the observed areas on housing prices was heterogeneous. Spatial differences were also found in the influence of the observed areas on housing prices. The most attractive factors when choosing a place to live are Jarun and the parks in the city centre. The price of apartments that near the Jarun increases by 41 EUR/m2 if the apartment is 100 m closer to the Jarun. The price of the apartment increases by 91 EUR/m2 the closer the apartment is to the parks in the city centre (per 100 m). Apartments near Jarun and the parks in the city centre are not available for residents with lower socio-economic status. The forest areas, Maksimir Park and the banks of the Sava river are not favoured when choosing a place to live. Neighbourhoods near these areas are available to the lower socioeconomic status population. Bundek raises the price of one part of the apartments and lowers the price of the other. The results of this study can contribute to the study of green gentrification in Zagreb, but further research is needed on socio-economic indicators and other changes in the region.

PLANETARY GENTRIFICATION AND URBAN AUTHORITARIANISM

AbstractIn gentrification studies to date, authoritarianism has mainly served as a contextual backdrop to discussions of state‐led gentrification. In this concluding essay I reflect on the explorations of ‘ordinary’ geographical cases of ‘everyday authoritarianism’ presented in this intervention on planetary gentrification and urban authoritarianism. The cases of Istanbul, Casablanca and Lijiang show how the complex merging of authoritarian and neoliberal is now one of the cruxes of gentrification globally.

Outdated? The phase model of the double invasion-succession cycle in German-language gentrification research

Phase models of gentrification play a prominent role in German-language urban geography textbooks and in shaping discussions on urban gentrification. Their empiric validity however, remains a topic for debate. To contribute to this debate, we conduct a comprehensive literature review of English- and German-language gentrification research over the past 40 years, with a specific focus on phase models. We examined 4,262 papers on gentrification, employing keyword searches and forward citation to pinpoint those that reference the phase models. Out of these, 223 papers mentioned the phase models or relevant key terms, but upon closer examination, only 56 directly addressed the model, forming the basis for our qualitative content analysis. We then assess the evolution of scientific discourse on phase models and their empirical validation. Despite their widespread reference, our study reveals that only a small fraction of gentrification research explicitly engages with these models, with limited empirical evidence to support their comprehensive validity. We argue that, although these models offer a framework for understanding gentrification, they are not universally applicable and neglect important elements such as, amongst others, supply-side factors and the diversity of gentrification trajectories. We advocate for a more nuanced approach to gentrification studies, calling for empirical research that encompasses a wider array of socio-ecological factors and recognizes the heterogeneity of gentrification patterns. Furthermore, there is a need for improved integration of urban research findings into educational materials, proposing a more critical presentation of gentrification models in school textbooks to reflect their limitations and the complex realities of urban development.

Building a Du Boisian Research Agenda on Gentrification

The study of gentrification has traditionally found its theoretical roots among the debates between production- and consumption-focused scholars, lending the field a heavily class-based focus. Despite some sociological inquiry into gentrification as an urban process that is also racialized, there are several crucial gaps within this line of inquiry. I here argue that a research agenda inspired by the writings of W. E. B. Du Bois can help to more fully conceptualize the intersection of race and gentrification. Drawing particularly from The Philadelphia Negro while also incorporating key concepts from other works, I show that Du Boisian theory can help us to: (1) understand the role of whiteness as a construct that begets spatial privileges within gentrification processes; (2) articulate racialized displacement as a cultural and affective phenomenon; and (3) account for the agency of local residents in augmenting or living with gentrification processes. I conclude with a call to also pay attention to the transnational context.

Exploring Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Gentrification Processes in Intracity Slums in the Lagos Megacity

There have been increasing calls in gentrification studies to examine the geography of gentrification in slums, as little is known about the patterns and processes of slum gentrification, especially in sub-Saharan African cities where slums house over 50% of the urban population. This study explored the spatiotemporal changes in slums in Lagos, Nigeria, between 1984 and 20 on the pattern and drivers of gentrification. Data were collected from 42 slums in Lagos through remote sensing (1984–2020) and a field survey (2020–2021). The study integrated geospatial analysis with quantitative and qualitative analysis to investigate the patterns and drivers of gentrification in Lagos slums. The findings show that between 1984 and 2020, all the sampled slums had undergone gentrification processes, apart from those that were completely cleared. However, many slums continue to have deprived areas as they continue to gentrify. Almost all the slum communities have experienced slum clearance in the past. Additionally, the current and new housing developments in the study have favored middle- to high-income groups, which has led to the displacement of previous slum residents. The study identified slum clearance, fires and floodings, the presence of palaces in the community, the proportion of deprived areas in 1984, government interest in the slum, and the size of the church as drivers of slum gentrification processes in Lagos. Finally, the findings show that the vulnerability of slum dwellers increases with slum gentrification. Therefore, this study recommended developing policies and programs, such as sustainable relocation and low-cost housing, to mitigate the negative consequences of slum gentrification, especially in cities with significant shares of low-income groups.

Defensive Development Against Disinvestment: Early Black Gentrification in the History of Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Studies of early gentrification have largely focused on cases of White gentrifiers in predominately White and Latinx low-income neighborhoods, which has overlooked the role of the Black middle-class and the presence of Black gentrifiers in early gentrification. In this article, we document the role of the Black middle-class in early gentrification in 1970s Fort Greene, Brooklyn, demonstrating their role in a “defensive development” strategy to protect the neighborhood from state-led demolition-style urban renewal. The Fort Greene Landmarks Preservation Committee, a Black, middle-class led coalition of multi-racial, middle-class residents pursued historic designation to preserve the multi-racial and predominately Black, mixed-income neighborhood from further demolition from urban renewal and disinvestment from redlining. Our findings confirm that early Black gentrification, like tract contemporary Black gentrification can both provide temporary protections for the Black community and lead to further gentrification.

“It’s a Chance, Not a Choice”: Black Families, School Choice, and Gentrification in Washington, D.C.

Background: Public education reforms, such as expanded school choice, have become a critical lever for remaking urban landscapes. These reforms often aim to attract and retain affluent and White families in urban schools, so scholars have examined how these parents navigate the perceived risk of choosing these schools for their children. Purpose: This paper extends this scholarship to understand how other families experience these reforms in gentrifying landscapes. We ask: (1) How do Black parents navigate school selection in a gentrifying and expansive education marketplace? (2) How do Black parents’ perceptions of schooling shape their approach to school selection? (3) How do parents’ positionalities (e.g., gender, class, place attachments, and tenure in the city) influence their experiences? Research Design: We leverage a qualitative meta-analysis design that pools data from three separately conducted studies of gentrification in Washington, D.C. For this analysis, we center on 34 Black parents’ experiences as they navigate school selection. We reanalyzed data through the lens of critical spatial and racial theories. We paid particular attention to participants’ attachments to place, their perceptions of their choices, the school and neighborhood attributes participants valued, and how they navigated school selection. Findings: Parents considered a broad range of school and neighborhood characteristics as they constructed their choice sets. As they searched for schools, Black parents made a series of racialized compromises to find schools they perceived to be racially, physically, and socially safe for their children. Parents, for example, negotiated their desire for academic rigor with their perception of schools’ social climates and their perceptions that schools would be racially affirming and inclusive. Place and space were essential to parents’ choice set construction. Schools’ physical locations and perceptions of safety influenced whether parents viewed schools as viable options for their children. Conclusion: Our study underscores the multiple factors that bound choice set construction. Critically, Black parents’ experiences as they navigated school selection suggest that the expansive educational marketplace offered a “chance, not a choice” at high-quality educational opportunities.

Shopkeepers and urban change: moving beyond gentrification studies?

Though the literature on commercial gentrification has grown considerably since the 2000s, it has several blind spots. Indeed, research has primarily focused on neighborhoods located in central areas, examining the retail landscape as well as consumer practices and identities. In this article, we discuss this literature and put it in dialogue with the literature on retailers and, more broadly, on independent professions. On this basis, we propose an analytical framework for studying commercial change from the shopkeepers’ perspective. The discussion is conducted in light of the concrete transformations of a commercial street located in a formerly working-class suburb of Paris. This case study illustrates the relevance of our approach, showing that even in an archetypal gentrified street, the profiles and paths of shopkeepers are varied, as is their relation to urban change.

“Nothing was solved, only accelerated”: Contemporary Berlin Novels as Gentrifictions

ABSTRACT: As a contribution to the growing scholarly debate on literary representations of gentrification, this article explores a tendency of contemporary, Berlin-set fiction to depict accelerating gentrification processes as an imminent apocalypse. While earlier gentrification fiction frequently centered on the struggles of a male character, this article turns to recent female-authored and female-centered narratives of gentrification, thus highlighting the relevance of gender for literary gentrification studies. Based on readings of four novels by German and US-American authors, the main contribution of the article is the delineation of a new hybrid subgenre of gentrification fiction and dystopian fiction—the accelerated gentrifiction . A further major finding is the identification of a standardized female gentrifier character type as an essential feature of this subgenre. The relative flatness of these protagonists results from their shared lack of action and emotional response when facing the consequences of complex social and ecological issues such as accelerated gentrification.

Gentrification as a field of study in the last decade: a bibliometric analysis in Scopus

This article examines the evolution of the study of gentrification over the last decade through a bibliometric analysis based on the Scopus database. As global cities face increasingly complex urban dynamics, gentrification has emerged as a central phenomenon that not only transforms urban landscapes but also poses significant challenges in terms of social justice and equity. The analysis focuses on identifying the main trends and emerging areas within gentrification research, as well as the growing interest in green gentrification and its relationship with environmental justice. This study uses bibliometric tools to map publications, authors, and predominant themes in this field, providing a comprehensive insight into how academic interest in gentrification has evolved globally. The findings of the article contribute to a better understanding of the current state of research on gentrification and suggest future directions for addressing the gaps and challenges that persist in this field

Why live anywhere else? A hyperlocal reflection on displacement, dislocation and ‘aversive racism’

In displacement beyond dislocation: Aversive racism in gentrification studies, Stefano Bloch and Dugan Meyers analyse how displacement in gentrification studies has been conceptualised. Following a critical examination of the literature, they argue for a more theoretically nuanced concept of how racism takes place. In doing so, they suggest that the role of racism has been under-acknowledged in studies on the processes of gentrification, making the point that geographers have been reluctant to talk about race. Outlining a concept of aversive racism – ‘an insidious mode of affective spatial practice’, they illustrate how place-making, and place-taking function through ambivalent racial encounters. I want to think through these important points, using my work on gentrification in Newham as a starting point.

Displacement and affective economies in gentrification research

In our initial paper calling for a more affective understanding of displacement in gentrification studies, we argued that displacement is a process that functions through diverse rearticulations of people's embodied capacity to make place, only some of which take the form of physical or social dislocation. Our intervention was intended to reignite this already existing argument by drawing attention to the embodied, affective, and emotional dimensions of displacement with a critical consideration of the role race/racism plays within this process today. We argue that such a perspective offers gentrification researchers a more critically incisive methodological and theoretical toolkit for grasping how power operates in urban space, particularly in dimensions commonly overlooked by traditional critical scholarship. We are excited and grateful to the editors of Dialogues in Urban Research for making space for this conversation, and to the scholars – Prince K. Guma, John Lennon, Joy White, Brandi T. Summers, Prentiss Dantzler, and Maria-Aminata Peron – who offered insightful responses to our paper. These responses both clarified and extended our own perspective, particularly in terms of demonstrating how the agential, creative, and collaborative efforts of urban residents to make and remake place can both bring into focus the affective dimensions of urban space and open up possibilities for imagining new urban imaginaries.

Coming into view: Engaging gentrification and displacement beyond aversive racism

Reflecting on Bloch and Meyer's exploration of displacement-by-gentrification and their use of “aversive racism” to address a lack of serious engagement with race and racism in gentrification studies, I offer a conceptual tour of both gentrification and displacement, specifically how some scholars have defined both terms and used them to explore various dimensions of socio-spatial shifts. Then, I clarify the incompatibility of aversive racism and a Black geographic framework, since Black geographies place Black agency at the center of spatial production and emphasizes Black spatial experiences in the expression of Black spatial imaginaries and geographic visions of society.

Aversive racism, gentrification, and graffiti studies

Bloch and Meyer's article argues that critical gentrification studies need to stop being beholden to mapping and counting of dislocated bodies, focusing mostly on “measuring the invisible,” and instead should understand displacement as an ongoing phenomenon, one that not only removes bodies from an environment, but is materially felt within spaces through technologies of racial discrimination, exclusion, and delinquency. This commentary relates the authors' ideas to graffiti studies and specifically argues how this subfield is part of gentrification studies. At its best, graffiti studies explore how graffiti and street art flow through the veins of the body of a city where racial capitalism is its beating heart. To understand displacement's affect, one can start by reading the walls of a city. The commentary also makes brief comments about gentrification in the FX series The Bear and the current shocking state of public education in Florida.

Towards a Praxis of Manifesting Spatial Imaginaries

In this essay, we suggest an alternative lens to uneven development as an embodied process to frame extant work within critical gentrification studies. In doing so, we resist a theoretical and methodological distinction divorced from the politics of remaking the material and immaterial conditions of the body before, within, and beyond space. In the pursuit of theoretical distinctions and temporal and spatial renderings from the varieties of everyday racial capitalism, we urge scholars to embed an imaginary towards our collective urban future within their theoretical conceptualizations. To do this means to not only suggest what is but what could be. While brief, we hope that this encourages others to engage in scholarly endeavors not only to understand the causes and effects of gentrification and displacement, but to advocate for a politics of spatial imaginaries.

The Chinese new middle class and their production of an ‘authentic’ rural landscape in China’s gentrified villages

Landscape change has long been a key characteristic of gentrification research. While much of this research has examined the intention of the middle class to consume authenticity and the consequent landscape changes in gentrified neighborhoods in the Global North, much less attention has been given to contexts in the developing world. This paper addresses this gap by discussing an empirical case of the rural landscape produced by Rural Tourism Makers (RTMs) – a group of new middle class– in China. This research is based on participant observation and twenty-three interviews with RTMs running Minsu guesthouses, a type of tourist accommodation involving the skilled renovation of existing village buildings. To illustrate the empirical nuances, the research draws insights from two perspectives on landscape, namely the symbolic landscape and the lived landscape, to show how RTMs have produced a new rural landscape of local and global characteristics and to examine the authenticity of these landscapes. In so doing, the research enriches our knowledge of gentrification in a non-Western context by analyzing a gentrified rural landscape in the Chinese context, produced by the emerging Chinese new middle class and their westernized consumption preferences. Meanwhile, the authenticity of this new rural landscape, which is based on RTMs’ expectations and imagination, strengthens the constructionist view of authenticity in gentrification studies.

Predicting Gentrification in England: A Data Primitive Approach

Geodemographic classifications are useful tools for segmenting populations and have many applications but are not suitable for measuring neighbourhood change over time. There is a need for an approach that uses data of a higher spatiotemporal resolution to capture the fundamental dimensions of processes driving local changes. Data primitives are measures that capture the fundamental drivers of neighbourhood processes and therefore offer a suitable route. In this article, three types of gentrification are conceptualised, and four key data primitives are applied to capture them in a case study region in Yorkshire, England. These areas are visually validated according to their temporal properties to confirm the presence of gentrification and are then assigned to a high-level gentrification type. Ensemble modelling is then used to predict the presence, type, and temporal properties of gentrification across the rest of England. The results show an alignment of the spatial extent of gentrification types with previous gentrification studies throughout the country but may have made an overprediction in London. The periodicities of (1) residential, (2) rural, and (3) transport-led gentrification also vary throughout the country, but regardless of type, gentrification in areas within close proximity to one another have differing velocities such that they peak and complete within similar times. These temporal findings offer new, more timely tools for authorities in devising schedules of interventions and for understanding the intricacies of neighbourhood change.

Displacement beyond dislocation: Aversive racism in gentrification studies

In this article, we argue for a critical gentrification studies that includes a more expansive and nuanced understanding of how displacement works, beyond the mapping and counting of dislocated bodies. As part of our argument, we introduce the concept of aversive racism to the geographical literature on displacement, pointing to this insidious mode of spatial practice that we argue is widely constitutive of place-making and place-taking processes in gentrifying areas. We do this by first providing a review and analysis of how displacement has been conceptualized and measured in existing geographical scholarship on gentrification, followed by a critical examination of the gentrification literature's engagement with race and racism, and a final argument for an affective approach within a Black geographies framing that encourages more analyses based on experiential encounters with more-than-physical displacement-by-gentrification.

Commanding Through Change: A Conceptual Model for School Leadership Amid Gentrification

Background: As gentrification transforms the physical, cultural, and demographic character of urban landscapes, an expansive body of research has generated insights into the meanings and implications of this process for public schools. How school leaders facilitate or constrain school gentrification is a growing area of inquiry. Research Design: This article analyzes the literature on school gentrification and presents a conceptual model to frame how school leaders’ responses influence the trajectory of school transformation. Results: Drawing on 18 studies of school gentrification’s dynamics, we outline how school leaders communicate and market schools to families, cultivate school climates, and manage personnel and resources amid gentrification. Conclusions: We argue that school leaders play critical roles in gentrification processes and that their actions can interrupt or exacerbate inequities in gentrifying schools. We conclude with implications for policy, research, and practice.