The City of London: genealogy of a contemporary heterotopia

The City of London (The City) is the main financial centre in the UK and the ancient heart of London. It has existed for centuries and occupies a distinctive place, it could be argued a space apart, from mainstream society. Its legal status and geographical boundaries make it what Foucault’s calls a heterotopia (1986). The City can rightfully be regarded as a heterotopia pursuing its own agendas, while maintaining a distance (re: different purpose, norms, rules, structures) to the state albeit maintaining strong relations with the state, highlight its main heterotopic credentials. To understand The City’s evolution and enduring heterotopic status, a strongly genealogical account is required, and one in which political and diplomatic relations with the crown/ state are significant. Although we focus on The City, the heteropic-centred methodology and methods employed in our overview are especially useful for the investigating enduring, powerful institutions.