Capital Investment, Fear & Public Space

This seminar investigates the topics of capital investment, public space and fear. Fear has long been one of the powers behind the transformation of cities. It could even be argued that fear is the main reason that cities were built in the first place. After all, living collectively concentrates power and thus makes it possible to resist external threats. Fear thus shaped cities by leading to the erection of walls and fortifications. The story goes that the inhabitants of Rome trusted the army (as the foundation of the Roman empire), and so did not erect walls around their city. The fall of Rome – when the barbarians came and plundered the city – therefore evoked fear: if even Rome could fall, where was safe? Today, different kinds of fear shape the urban landscape: from fear of being robbed in public spaces to fear of road accidents. Fear shapes how roads are designed, how streets are connected, how highways are embedded in the urban fabric, how parks are designed, how neighbourhoods are delineated, how playgrounds are fenced, and how shopping streets are monitored. Also, fear plays a role in a more abstract sense; in the transformation of cities, capital investment is the main resource, and fear plays a part in investment and its inherent risks. Processes of standardisation and other forms of governance are introduced to control projects and secure profits. In this seminar, the students investigate how such processes shape public life and transform public space.

This course took place during the Spring 2019 semester.