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Political Infrastructures: Governing and Experiencing the Fabric of the City

Author

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  • COLIN McFARLANE
  • JONATHAN RUTHERFORD

Abstract

There has been a profusion of work in recent years exploring the links between infrastructure and the city. This has entailed a conceptualization of cities and infrastructure that recognizes their mutual constitution and the inherently political nature of networked urban infrastructure. In introducing this symposium, we find that a comparative approach to infrastructure can reveal a diversity of ways in which the urban fabric is produced, managed and distributed, and comes to matter in everyday life. We argue for a more globally informed conceptualization of the politics of infrastructure by exploring three key themes in the symposium: fragmentation, inequality and crisis. Résumé Ces dernières années, les études abondent sur les liens entre infrastructures et ville. Il en a découlé une conceptualisation des villes et des infrastructures qui prend en compte leur constitution mutuelle ainsi que la nature intrinsèquement politique des réseaux d’infrastructures urbains. Pour lancer ce symposium, nous estimons qu’une approche comparative des infrastructures est en mesure de révéler diverses façons dont le tissu urbain est produit, administré et réparti, et dont il devient important dans la vie au quotidien. Nous préconisons une conceptualisation des politiques d’infrastructures qui bénéficierait d’un éclairage à un échelon plus mondial tout en explorant trois thèmes clés du symposium : fragmentation, inégalité et crise.

Suggested Citation

  • COLIN McFARLANE & JONATHAN RUTHERFORD, 2008. "Political Infrastructures: Governing and Experiencing the Fabric of the City," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 363-374, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:32:y:2008:i:2:p:363-374
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.2008.00792.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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