Urbicide : The Politics of Urban Destruction

The term ‘urbicide’ became popular during the 1992-95 Bosnian war as a way of referring to widespread and deliberate destruction of the urban environment. Coined by writers on urban development in America, urbicide captures the sense that the widespread and deliberate destruction of buildings is a distinct form of violence. Using Martin Heidegger’s notion of space and Jean-Luc Nancy’s idea of community, Martin Coward outlines a theoretical understanding of the urban condition at stake in such violence. He contends that buildings are targeted because they make possible a plural public space that is contrary to the political aims of ethnic-nationalist regimes. Illustrated with reference to several post-Cold War conflicts – including Bosnia, Chechnya and Israel/Palestine – this book is the first comprehensive analysis of organised violence against urban environments. It offers an original perspective to those seeking to better understand urbanity, political violence and the politics of exclusion. Developing The Concept Of Urbicide - The Deliberate Destruction Of Cities - Martin Coward Outlines A Theoretical Understanding Of The Urban Condition At Stake In Such Violence. He Argues That It Is Necessary To Address The Widespread And Deliberate Destruction Of Buildings As A Distinct Form Of Political Violence. Introduction: The Destruction Of Shared Space -- 1. Interpreting Destruction Of The Built Environment -- 2. The Logic Of Urbicide -- 3. The Built Environment And Shared Spatiality -- 4. The Nature Of Heterogeneity: From Mitsein To The Inoperative Community -- 5. The Political Stakes Of Urbicide -- 6. The Conceptual Stakes Of Urbicide. Martin Coward. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [147]-155) And Index. Developing the concept of urbicide - the deliberate destruction of cities - Martin Coward outlines a theoretical understanding of the urban condition at stake in such violence. The first comprehensive analysis, Coward argues that it is necessary to address the widespread and deliberate destruction of buildings as a distinct form of political violence.