Badlands of the Republic: Space, Politics and Urban Policy (RGS-IBG Book Series)

The relationship between space and politics is explored through a study of French urban policy. Drawing upon the political thought of Jacques Rancière, this book proposes a new agenda for analyses of urban policy, and provides the first comprehensive account of French urban policy in English. Essential resource for contextualizing and understanding the revolts occurring in the French ‘badland’ neighbourhoods in autumn 2005 Challenges overarching generalizations about urban policy and contributes new research data to the wider body of urban policy literature Identifies a strong urban and spatial dimension within the shift towards more nationalistic and authoritarian policy governing French citizenship and immigration Contents......Page 7 Figures and Tables......Page 9 Abbreviations and Acronyms......Page 11 Series Editors’ Preface......Page 13 Acknowledgements......Page 14 Part I: Badlands......Page 17 1: Introduction: The Fear of ‘the Banlieue’......Page 19 The Colour of Fear......Page 23 Organization of the Book......Page 30 2: State’s Statements: Urban Policy as Place-Making......Page 32 Neoliberalism, Neoliberalization and the City......Page 40 The Republican State and Its Contradictions......Page 44 The Republican Penal State and Urban Policy......Page 47 Part II: The Police......Page 51 3: The Right to the City? Revolts and the Initiation of Urban Policy......Page 53 The Hot Summer of 1981: How Novel is ‘Violence’?......Page 55 Brixton in France? The Haunting of the French Republic......Page 56 The ‘Founding Texts’ of Urban Policy......Page 64 The ‘Anti-immigrant Vote’......Page 72 Consolidation of Urban Policy......Page 76 Conclusions: Consolidation of the Police......Page 80 4: Justice, Police, Statistics: Surveillance of Spaces of Intervention......Page 84 When the Margin is at the Centre......Page 87 The ‘Return of the State’......Page 91 ‘I Like the State’......Page 94 Justice, Police, Statistics......Page 96 Conclusions: Looking for a ‘Better’ Police . . .......Page 103 . . . a ‘Republican’ One......Page 106 5: From ‘Neighbourhoods in Danger’ to ‘Dangerous Neighbourhoods’: The Repressive Turn in Urban Policy......Page 109 Encore! The Ghost Haunting the French Republic......Page 110 Pacte de Relance: Old Ghost, New Spaces......Page 113 ‘They are Already Stigmatized’: Affirmative Action à la française......Page 115 Is ‘Positive Discrimination’ Negative?......Page 120 Insecurity Wins the Left: The Villepinte Colloquium......Page 122 Remaking Urban Policy in Republican Terms......Page 125 Whither Urban Policy?......Page 130 The Police Order and the Police State......Page 134 Back to the Statist Geography......Page 136 Conclusions: Repressive Police......Page 140 Part III: Justice in Banlieues......Page 143 Vaulx-en-Velin between Official Processions and Police Forces......Page 145 Vaulx-en-Velin after the trente glorieuses......Page 147 A ‘Thirst for Citizenship’......Page 150 A Toil of Two Cities (in One)......Page 152 Whose List is More ‘Communitarian’?......Page 158 Conclusions: Acting on the Spaces of the Police......Page 163 7: Voices into Noises: Revolts as Unarticulated Justice Movements......Page 168 Revolting Geographies......Page 169 Geographies of Repression: ‘Police Everywhere, Justice Nowhere’......Page 174 Policies of Urgency: ‘20 Years for Unemployment, 20 Minutes for Insecurity’......Page 178 Conclusions: From ‘a Just Revolt of the Youth’ to ‘Urban Violence’......Page 182 8: Conclusion: Space, Politics and Urban Policy......Page 186 Notes......Page 194 References......Page 210 Index......Page 228 Contents 7 Figures and Tables 9 Abbreviations and Acronyms 11 Series Editors’ Preface 13 Acknowledgements 14 Part I: Badlands 17 1: Introduction: The Fear of ‘the Banlieue’ 19 The Colour of Fear 23 Organization of the Book 30 2: State’s Statements: Urban Policy as Place-Making 32 Neoliberalism, Neoliberalization and the City 40 The Republican State and Its Contradictions 44 The Republican Penal State and Urban Policy 47 Part II: The Police 51 3: The Right to the City? Revolts and the Initiation of Urban Policy 53 The Hot Summer of 1981: How Novel is ‘Violence’? 55 Brixton in France? The Haunting of the French Republic 56 The ‘Founding Texts’ of Urban Policy 64 The ‘Anti-immigrant Vote’ 72 Consolidation of Urban Policy 76 Conclusions: Consolidation of the Police 80 4: Justice, Police, Statistics: Surveillance of Spaces of Intervention 84 When the Margin is at the Centre 87 The ‘Return of the State’ 91 ‘I Like the State’ 94 Justice, Police, Statistics 96 Conclusions: Looking for a ‘Better’ Police . . . 103 . . . a ‘Republican’ One 106 5: From ‘Neighbourhoods in Danger’ to ‘Dangerous Neighbourhoods’: The Repressive Turn in Urban Policy 109 Encore! The Ghost Haunting the French Republic 110 Pacte de Relance: Old Ghost, New Spaces 113 ‘They are Already Stigmatized’: Affirmative Action à la française 115 Is ‘Positive Discrimination’ Negative? 120 Insecurity Wins the Left: The Villepinte Colloquium 122 Remaking Urban Policy in Republican Terms 125 Whither Urban Policy? 130 The Police Order and the Police State 134 Back to the Statist Geography 136 Conclusions: Repressive Police 140 Part III: Justice in Banlieues 143 6: A ‘Thirst for Citizenship’: Voices from a Banlieue 145 Vaulx-en-Velin between Official Processions and Police Forces 145 Vaulx-en-Velin after the trente glorieuses 147 A ‘Thirst for Citizenship’ 150 A Toil of Two Cities (in One) 152 Whose List is More ‘Communitarian’? 158 Conclusions: Acting on the Spaces of the Police 163 7: Voices into Noises: Revolts as Unarticulated Justice Movements 168 Revolting Geographies 169 Geographies of Repression: ‘Police Everywhere, Justice Nowhere’ 174 Policies of Urgency: ‘20 Years for Unemployment, 20 Minutes for Insecurity’ 178 Conclusions: From ‘a Just Revolt of the Youth’ to ‘Urban Violence’ 182 8: Conclusion: Space, Politics and Urban Policy 186 Notes 194 References 210 Index 228 "This is a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive account of French urban policy. Badlands of the Republic offers a fresh approach to space and politics, while providing insights into the politics of immigration and the contemporary transformations of the state in France. The author not only proposes a new way of looking at urban policy, but also challenges overarching generalizations that are based almost exclusively on the British and North American experience. This resource provides analysis on the revolts in the banlieues of French cities in 2005 and covers a variety of other topics related to contemporary citizenship and immigration. Its rich empirical material derives from sources that go beyond mere investigation of official documents. It is the only thorough account of French urban policy written in English."--BOOK JACKET 'badlands Of The Republic' Is An Essential Resource For Contextualising And Understanding The Revolts Occurring In The French 'badlands' Neighbourhoods In Autumn 2005. Badlands -- Introduction : The Fear Of 'the Banlieue' -- State's Statements : Urban Policy As Place-making -- The Police -- The Right To The City? : Revolts And The Initiation Of Urban Policy -- Justice, Police, Statistics : Surveillance Of Spaces Of Intervention -- From 'neighbourhoods In Danger' To 'dangerous Neighbourhoods' : The Repressive Turn In Urban Policy -- Justice In Banlieues -- A 'thirst For Citizenship' : Voices From A Banlieue -- Voices Into Noises : Revolts As Unarticulated Justice Movements -- Conclusion : Space, Politics And Urban Policy. Mustafa Dikeç. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [194]-211) And Index.