Governing majorities in the Arab World: urban life beyond neoliberalism

Harker, C.

Abstract

This chapter examines how contemporary urban studies in the Middle East theorize the cities in which they are located. It is argued that many of these studies privilege neoliberalism as the key conceptual lens through which urban change is gauged. This chapter therefore examines and critiques the theoretical, empirical and political uses of neoliberalism in Middle Eastern urban studies. These lines of critique lead to a call for more modest conceptual deployments of neoliberalism, and for alternative analytical lens to explore contemporary Middle Eastern urbanisms. Such alternatives, it is argued,position Middle Eastern urban studies as a promising venue from which to further develop and enrich debates around postcolonial urbanism.

Citation

Harker, C. (2017). Governing majorities in the Arab World: urban life beyond neoliberalism. In L. Khirfan (Ed.), Order and disorder : urban governance and the making of Middle Eastern cities (41-69). McGill-Queen's University Press

• Acceptance Date: Sep 26, 2016
• Publication Date: May 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Oct 10, 2016
• Pages: 41-69
• Series Title: McGill-Queen's studies in urban governance
• Book Title: Order and disorder : urban governance and the making of Middle Eastern cities.
• Publisher URL: http://www.mqup.ca/order-and-disorder-products-9780773549753.php?page_id=73&