Paradoxes of Studentification: Social Mix versus Gentrification in a Disadvantaged Neighborhood in Amsterdam East

Abstract

Studio K, a relatively new quasi-public space in a gentrifying multi-ethnic neighborhood in Amsterdam East, is a prime example of the growing urban reinvestment within the area. The basic idea behind the by students managed Studio K is to create a cultural centre as an open place, including a cinema, restaurant, bar and club, where all visitors feel at home. It is the form and content that renders neighborhood relations relevant, not the physical proximity. Our paper involves a critical discussion of what can be understood as 'community commitment' and how the organizational identity of Studio K responded to the needs and expectations of the community in relation to the gentrification debate, and in particular studentification. Our analysis suggests that neighborhoods do not indicate the potential for social identification and shared community experience.

Studentification and commodification of student lifestyle in Braamfontein, Johannesburg

“…Overall, there is growing research interest on the impact of studentification in urban South Africa. The majority of research focus, however, has been on the impact of private student housing (mostly HMOs) in residential areas in Bloemfontein and Stellenbosch (see Benn, 2010;Ackermann & Visser, 2016;Donaldson et al, 2014). This paper adds to debates on studentification in South Africa and offers new insight on the impact of studentification in a larger urban context in South Africa.…”

“…Limited research is available on the process of studentification beyond the UK, albeit there is growing recognition of this phenomenon elsewhere (Smith & Holt, 2007;Nakazawa, 2017). Over the past decade there have been studies across Europe (Garmendia et al, 2012;Boersma et al, 2013;Grabkowska & Frankowski, 2016;Fubula et al, 2017;Malet-Calvo, 2017), Australia (Davison, 2009;Fincher & Shaw, 2009) and the United States of America (Pickren, 2012;Laidley, 2014;Foote, 2017). The process of studentification has received very little attention in the global South, with exceptions of studies in China (He, 2015), Kenya (Fedha, et al, 2017) and growing research interest in South Africa (Donaldson et al, 2014;Ackermann & Visser, 2016).…”

“…Allen (2008) and Nakazawa (2017) agree that studentification can deepen segregation and concentration of social groups leading to geographies of exclusion within cities. Both processes of studentification and gentrification can stimulate social segregation, concentration of a particular population group and the widening of socio-spatial polarisation within cities that can lead to geographies of exclusion (see Smith, 2008Smith, , 2009Munro et al, 2009;Boersma et al, 2013;Smith & Hubbard, 2014;Nakazawa, 2017). Sage et al (2013) argues that two types of displacement accompany studentification, these include exclusionary and socio-cultural displacement.…”

“…The exception are case studies in Bloemfontein and Stellenbosch, where both the University of the Free State and Stellenbosch University were historically white Afrikaner universities. The process of studentification in Stellenbosch and Bloemfontein has largely affected former middle-class low-density residential suburbs (Benn, 2010;Donaldson et al, 2014;Ackermann & Visser, 2016). On the larger metropolitan scale, the process of studentification is completely neglected in South Africa.…”

Studentification in Stellenbosch, South Africa

“…In most cases, studentification resulted in an influx of young, middle-and upper-class people into established, relatively inexpensive residential neighbourhoods, although the opposite has also been recorded. This process has sometimes been linked to gentrification (Smith, 2005;Sage et al, 2012a: 598;Boersma et al, 2013;Smith & Hubbard, 2014). Either way, the concentration of students has been shown to have various geographical consequences (Macintyre, 2003;Steinacker, 2005).…”