Squatters in the Capitalist City: Housing, Justice, and Urban Politics (Housing and Society Series)

To date, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the disperse research on the squatters’ movement in Europe. In __Squatters in the Capitalist City__, Miguel A. Martínez López presents a critical review of the current research on squatting and of the historical development of the movements in European cities according to their major social, political and spatial dimensions. Comparing cities, contexts, and the achievements of the squatters’ movements, this book presents the view that squatting is not simply a set of isolated, illegal and marginal practices, but is a long-lasting urban and transnational movement with significant and broad implications. While intersecting with different housing struggles, squatters face various aspects of urban politics and enhance the content of the movements claiming for a ‘right to the city.’ __Squatters__ __in the Capitalist City__ seeks to understand both the socio-spatial and political conditions favourable to the emergence and development of squatting, and the nature of the interactions between squatters, authorities and property owners by discussing the trajectory, features and limitations of squatting as a potential radicalisation of urban democracy. To date, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the disperse research on the squatters’ movement in Europe. In Squatters in the Capitalist City, Miguel A. Martínez López presents a critical review of the current research on squatting and of the historical development of the movements in European cities according to their major social, political and spatial dimensions. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 List of Tables 9 List of Figures 10 List of Images 11 Abbreviations 13 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction 18 Squatting and Urban Justice 21 Contents and Arguments 27 1. Squatting as an Urban Movement 30 Structural Constraints and Social Conflict 30 Critical Social Science 33 Capitalism, Democracy, and Urban Movements 37 Practices, Movements, and Scales 39 Socio-Spatialities and Socio-Temporalities 42 Back to the Grassroots 46 Movement Effects Contextualised 49 The Contentious Social Production of Space 54 Squatters’ Movements 59 Squatting and the Right to the City 65 The Right to Squat the City 65 Legacies of Fruitful Associations 68 Squatting Rights in Contention with the Existing Capitalist City 70 Social Justice in European Urban Politics 72 References 73 2. Autonomy from Capitalism 80 Converging Radicalisms 81 From the Factory to Metropolitan Struggles 84 Mobilisation and Liberation of Everyday Life 89 Diffused Autonomy and Interdependence 95 Collective Self-Determination of the Oppressed 100 Squatting and the Radical Left in Berlin 104 References 110 3. Socio-Spatial Structures 114 Housing Shortages and Vacancy Rates 117 Urban Renewal 123 Are Squatters the Storm Troopers of Gentrification? 126 Legislation and Law Enforcement 130 Activist Networks 135 Social Recognition 139 Amsterdam: The Lost Paradise of Squatting? 141 References 151 4. Types of Squatting 156 Squatted Houses and Social Centres 158 Motivations and Outcomes 165 Overlaps and Splits 169 Interactions between Squatters and Migrants 177 Beyond Deprivation 180 Autonomous Agency: When Migrants Squat 183 Squatters, Migrants, and the Global Justice Movement 185 Migrants’ Empowerment through the 15M Movement 188 Interactions and Contexts 190 Squatting in Paris: Internal Divisions and Local Regulation 194 References 202 5. Anomalous Institutions 207 The Movements’ Structural Dilemmas 208 Strategic Negotiations 211 High-Level Negotiations 211 Transactional Negotiations 213 Survival Negotiations 214 Forced Negotiations 215 To Be or Not to Be Legalised 217 Institutionalisation 221 Type I Institutionalisation: Integration of the Movement into State Institutions 222 Type II Institutionalisation: New Institutions Promoted by Social Movements 226 Type III Institutionalisation: Creation of Anomalous Institutions 230 Legalisation of Squats in Madrid 235 Fully Legalised Squats 237 Failed Attempts at Legalisation 239 The Rejection of Legalisation 241 Analytical Remarks 243 References 247 6. Criminalisation and Counter-Hegemony 251 The Performative Powers of ‘Spectacular Narrations’ 251 Are Squatters All the Same? 254 Soft Gentrifiers 259 Are There Good and Bad Squatters? 263 Internal Cleavages 268 Discursive Struggles and Counter-Hegemonic Discourse 271 Reversive Responses 273 Subversive Alternatives 275 The Criminalisation of Squatting Invigorates Class Domination 279 References 283 Methodological Note 288 Index 292 To date, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the disperse research on the squatters' movement in Europe. In Squatters in the Capitalist City, Miguel A. Martinez Lopez presents a critical review of the current research on squatting and of the historical development of the movements in European cities according to their major social, political and spatial dimensions. Comparing cities, contexts, and the achievements of the squatters' movements, this book presents the view that squatting is not simply a set of isolated, illegal and marginal practices, but is a long-lasting urban and transnational movement with significant and broad implications. While intersecting with different housing struggles, squatters face various aspects of urban politics and enhance the content of the movements claiming for a `right to the city.' Squatters in the Capitalist City seeks to understand both the socio-spatial and political conditions favourable to the emergence and development of squatting, and the nature of the interactions between squatters, authorities and property owners by discussing the trajectory, features and limitations of squatting as a potential radicalisation of urban democracy Squatting As An Urban Movement -- Autonomy From Capitalism -- Socio-spatial Structures -- Types Of Squatting -- Anomalous Institutions -- Criminalisation And Counter-hegemony. Miguel A. Martínez. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In Squatters in the Capitalist City, Miguel A. Martinez Lopez presents a critical review of the current literature on squatting and of the historical development of the movements in European cities.