Neo-colonial urbanism in three intermediate Argentinean cities

The paper analyses three neighbourhoods in intermediate cities in Argentina to explore how colonial past persists and urban commons are challenged by neo-colonial dynamics of capitalism. Focusing on three neighbourhoods – Güemes in Córdoba, Toba in Resistencia and La República in San Luis – it explores how communal life is shaped by multiple competing stakeholders. Global trends of valorization, beautification, patrimonialisation, and disciplining of communal life manifest uniquely in each area. From a qualitative perspective, the analysis follows three conceptual axes: (i) colonial dynamics, (ii) value dynamics – both examined through secondary sources – and (iii) commons dynamics, based on interviews and fieldwork. This research highlights urban commons as counterpoints to value production, emphasizing life over capitalist value: concrete rather than abstract, qualitative rather than quantitative. This paper contributes to the understanding of intermediate cities as arenas where neo-colonial urban expressions coexist with interstitial forms of the commons derived from historical practices.