Worlding and wilding: Lagos and Detroit as global cities

Abstract

A long-standing debate in the urban studies literature emphasises the place of cities in the global cultural, financial and political economy. Traditional approaches to the study of world cities have typically left little room for the cities of the South or the more ‘marginal’ cities in the West. In this essay, I argue for a more inclusive theoretical and conceptual space that incorporates a broader range of urban situations through a comparative investigation of two cities: Lagos and Detroit. Though they are in some ways peripheral to the functioning of global capitalism, they remain central to its narrative. I therefore suggest that even as Detroit and Lagos undergo experiences of ‘wilding’ these processes represent an often unacknowledged aspect of ‘worlding’. The paper represents a preliminary attempt to centre African and post-industrial cities in the wider critical narrative of contemporary global urbanism.

The North Star of Hype: How Detroit Charts a Course in a Neoliberal Framework

“…Such campaigns and economic propaganda have resulted in significant investment into Detroit proper (Marr, 2016). Political campaigns that focus on the return of industrialization and manufacturing jobs ignore the unequal provision of benefits between citizens, and which citizens will receive the most benefit (Doucet, 2017;Marr, 2016).…”

“…Such campaigns and economic propaganda have resulted in significant investment into Detroit proper (Marr, 2016). Political campaigns that focus on the return of industrialization and manufacturing jobs ignore the unequal provision of benefits between citizens, and which citizens will receive the most benefit (Doucet, 2017;Marr, 2016). Again, political campaigns promise that wages will return high living standards but neglect to discuss the generationally transformed economic realities of the region, as skill sets are lost or workers are reskilled in new occupations (Doucet, 2017;Erving, 2015).…”

“…Entrepreneurialism has long shaped the contours of policy and has become deeply embedded into Detroit's new municipal growth policies (Rothstein, 2017;Marr, 2016). There is low citizen support of the municipal growth policies.…”

“…There is low citizen support of the municipal growth policies. The lack of public-citizen support stems from the different perspectives introduced into the policies that are advanced (Marr, 2016). In place of direct investments into critical public infrastructure, city council and development organizations are investing in private developments (Marr, 2016).…”

“…The lack of public-citizen support stems from the different perspectives introduced into the policies that are advanced (Marr, 2016). In place of direct investments into critical public infrastructure, city council and development organizations are investing in private developments (Marr, 2016). For example, a new Little Caesar's arena has been built in Detroit and is home to the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Red Wing professional sports team (Kinney, 2016), while public infrastructure, including water sanitation, public transportation, and private low-income neighborhoods are rotting (Marr, 2016).…”