"Regional resistances, the struggle for local autonomy, place-bound organization, may be excellent bases for political action, but they cannot bear the burden of radical historical change alone. [...] The qualities of place stand thereby to be emphasized in the midst of the increasing abstractions of space." (295)
This is a quote from the essay 'The condition of postmodernity' by David Harvey. I put this forward because it talks about how a place is constructed nowadays in order to attract capital. This can be seen in places such as Boston's Quincy Market, or Providence's own totalistic renovation which was capped by the mall. Obvious as this is, it is something that has to be considered in this discussion, I think. If capital is the contemporary raison d'etre for the construction of places (esp those places that were once industrial leftovers, wharfs and today are the sites of the revitalized city), then how can we present an alternative to the construction of places that is not to attract the global flow of capital? More clearly, how do we extract 'New England' from the New England defined by capital? Is this a sort of spatial delirium created by capital reference?
I feel we need to ask these kinds of questions if this is going to be a real forum for discussion. I'd like to hear what you think.
This is a quote from the essay 'The condition of postmodernity' by David Harvey. I put this forward because it talks about how a place is constructed nowadays in order to attract capital. This can be seen in places such as Boston's Quincy Market, or Providence's own totalistic renovation which was capped by the mall. Obvious as this is, it is something that has to be considered in this discussion, I think. If capital is the contemporary raison d'etre for the construction of places (esp those places that were once industrial leftovers, wharfs and today are the sites of the revitalized city), then how can we present an alternative to the construction of places that is not to attract the global flow of capital? More clearly, how do we extract 'New England' from the New England defined by capital? Is this a sort of spatial delirium created by capital reference?
I feel we need to ask these kinds of questions if this is going to be a real forum for discussion. I'd like to hear what you think.
posted by:
|
United Kingdom
|
-
Provvy gone good, gone bad.
Sat, January 24, 2004 - 1:49 AMAs a native Rhode Islander, the Cianci-sponsored city revival was a lovely, wonderful thing - except for that OPPRESSIVE MALL.
The good & bad side of any dictatorship, which is what Cianci brought to the New City of Seven Hills, is that an enlightened despot can cause great positive changes. It might even have been worth all the horrors he engendered to get his support of queer rights and local community.
The down side is this horror of a "convention centre-mall", which not only blocks the sweetest view of the City but TOTALLY overwhelms the governance district.
That said, I still think revised-Provvy is a wonder. Now if only Boston - and Cambridge etc. - could undergo some of the same rebuilding, things would be great. The Big Dig bites; Boston's post-WWI housing destroyed traditional communities. Providence is restoring these; can Mass do the same? Or will we have another San Diego, built of a bzillion alienated crappy households? San Diego is crime-ridden and collapsing; the lack of communities is the reason for a lack of community and terrible crime rates.
I still say we bail for Canadia - if we can convince them we can offer them anything...
Pulling for building strong urban communities,
aNNa JoHNSoN
