Global Cities in the South: Deepening social and spatial polarisation in Cape Town

Lemanski, Charlotte

doi:10.1016/j.cities.2007.01.011

Cited by 111 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…As a result, researchers have been forced to consider other flows and measures, e.g., the global distribution of corporate headquarters or specialized service firms (e.g., Beckfield 2004, Taylor et al 2009) even though recent research has shown convincingly that this empirical focus has (re-)produced a Western bias in globalized urbanization research since the criteria used in the identification of the reputed 'global cities' are dominated by ethnocentric Anglo-American approaches (Robinson 2006, Lemanski 2007, Shatkin 2007). Yet the supposed drawback of airline data -'general' flow measures -can in this context be seen as an asset, as the measures reflect the aggregation of heterogeneous processes that lead to urban connectivity.…”

Section: Airline Network and Urban Network: Opportunities And Pitfallsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In spite of these recent studies, however, the globalization of many African cities remains poorly understood because of the rather limited scholarly attention (with notable exceptions being Rakodi 1998, Van der Merwe 2004, Pirie 2010, and Grant 2009, largely because the continent is seen as being marginal to the global economy and, therefore, devoid of the so-called 'global cities' that are "the sites for the control and management of TNC [Transnational Corporation] operations, specialized business services to back these up, and nodes in the world banking and commercial system" (Rakodi 1998: 329-330) 1 . Even in the category of the so-called 'regional' or 'sub-global' cities, few African cities measure up, notably Johannesburg, Nairobi, Cairo, Cape Town and Lagos (Simon 1992: 83-94, Friedmann 1995, Rakodi 1998, Yousry, Abu-Zekry and Yousry 1998, Derudder et al 2003, Van der Merwe 2004, Lemanski 2007). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Airline connectivity as a measure of the globalization of African cities

et al. 2011

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A city's transnational airline connections are one measure of its globalization since such links are integral to globalization. In this paper, we use airline networks to (i) map the position of African cities in the global transnational urban network, (ii) explore the inter-urban relationships of major African cities and, (iii) to contribute to the literature on the globalization of African cities. We find that whereas many African cities have poor airline interconnectivity among themselves as well as internationally, and are thus ranked low on global transnational urban networks, some cities such as Johannesburg, Cairo, Cape Town, Nairobi, Durban, and Casablanca have developed relatively good international air connectivity and are thus relatively well integrated into the global transnational urban network. In particular, South African cities, especially Johannesburg, have substantially increased their air connectivity and place in the global transnational urban network since the advent of majority rule in South Africa in 1994.

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Section: Airline Network and Urban Network: Opportunities And Pitfallsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airline connectivity as a measure of the globalization of African cities

et al. 2011

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“…As the extensive local research of Lemanski (2004Lemanski ( , 2007 has shown, these popular narratives of crime and grime have led to a nationwide increase in private security, which in turn contributes to growing danger in the remaining public space 'by abandoning it to those excluded from the privatized world ' (2004, p. 107). The result is a sociospatial polarisation that separates 'insiders (those with access to desirable spaces) from outsiders (on the margin, looking in)' and essentially perpetuates the social divisions that were inherent during the apartheid state (Lemanski 2004;Saff 2001, p. 102).…”

Section: We Bought the [Old] Biscuit Mill Three And A Half Years Ago mentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing tune in Woodstock: Creative industries and local urban development in Cape Town, South Africa

Wenz¹

2012

Gateways

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Since the beginning of the new millennium, a plethora of works has been published on the making of the ‘creative city’ and the urban impact of the creative economy. So far, however, limited recognition has been given to how the development of cultural industries and the creative economy as a whole influences urban transformation in the rapidly urbanising Global South, especially in Africa. In Cape Town, a steadily growing number of creative industries and ‘culturepreneurs’ (Lange 2005) are carving out new spaces from the city’s highly contested urban setting. Over the past five years, the mixed-use, inner-city fringe area of Woodstock has seen the incessant arrival of creatives from various sectors. Travelling alongside is a property sector geared towards catering specifically for the creative industries’ spatial demands by turning old industrial structures – the remains of Woodstock’s former capacity as national hub for clothing, food processing and other light manufacturing – into creative centres hosting international film studios, leading galleries and designer ‘theatre retail spaces’. After setting the stage through a comprehensive introduction to the rise of the creative economy in South Africa and Cape Town, this article tunes into the current local development of Woodstock, based on extensive field research in the area. It traces ways and forms of conflict but also new social interfaces between the new creative tenants and the old established community, on the one hand pointing to problematic issues like lingering gentrification, sociospatial polarisation and lopsided cultural representation while also trying to flesh out some of the opportunities for finding the right frequency of engagement between creative industries and spaces of vernacular creativity within Cape Town’s post-apartheid urban realm. Keywords: Creative economy, creative city, Global South, urban regeneration, gentrification, vernacular creativity

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“…In the following 6-7 years the CCID used its additional funding to 'clean up' crime, through private security companies and CCTV; and dirt, through private refuse collection and street cleaners (Lemanski, 2007;Samara, 2003). The transformation of the city centre has been significant with increased investment, new developments and tourism bringing businesses and visitors in, supported by the lure of Cape Town as a 2010 World Cup site (Cornelissen, 2011), and contrasting with the 1990s when businesses and residents were moving out of the city to safer locations.…”

Section: Conceptualising Mobility and The City In Street Youth's Livesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the early 1990s, Cape Town has embarked on processes of spatial governance that have pushed the city to become increasingly integrated into the global economy following normalisation of relations in the post-apartheid era (Lemanski, 2007(Lemanski, , 2006(Lemanski, , 2004Miraftab, 2007;Robinson, 2002;Samara, 2005;Wilkinson 2000). However, Cape Town's journey is historically grounded as apartheid policies have left a legacy of social and spatial inequalities.…”

Section: Conceptualising Mobility and The City In Street Youth's Livesmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Street Geographies: The Impact of Urban Governance on the Mobilities of Cape Town’s Street Youth

Blerk¹

2013

Urban Studies

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Street youth have been part of South Africa's cities since the 1980s, maintaining a visible and mobile presence. Contemporary adaptations to urban governance strategies in Cape Town have resulted in management practices that are creating challenges for street youth's lives. This paper explores these challenges which have emerged through strategies to clean up the city and are aimed at reducing youth's visible presence on the streets. Through an examination of street youth's lives, this paper conceptualises four ways in which their mobilities have changed, dramatically affecting their everyday practices. The paper develops theoretical understandings of street youth's lives by identifying 'new' street geographies. This moves away from current conceptualisations of street children/youth as having a visible presence on the streets and rather expresses street life as hidden and marginalised, pushed into less wealthy parts of the urban landscape. This has significant implications for addressing street children/youth's needs in policy contexts.

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Global Cities in the South: Deepening social and spatial polarisation in Cape Town

Cited by 111 publications

References 22 publications

Airline connectivity as a measure of the globalization of African cities

Airline connectivity as a measure of the globalization of African cities

Changing tune in Woodstock: Creative industries and local urban development in Cape Town, South Africa

New Street Geographies: The Impact of Urban Governance on the Mobilities of Cape Town’s Street Youth

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