Abstract
This paper builds on two of the author's earlier pieces, and argues that Jane Jacob's most celebrated book was at its roots a form of NIMBYism and was thus regressive-the antithesis of any model of justice.The first half of the paper situates Jacobs in the now-familiar struggle with Robert Moses but also the bigger picture of redevelopment in mid-century Manhattan. The second half revolves around three aspects of Jacobs' approach to cities; the first is her focus on individual actors, the second a libertarian stance which argues that government was the problem, never the solution, and the third was a claim for universal principles (regarding, for instance, density and land-use), although these were not based upon any empirical evidence.In short, it is argued that while Jacobs was an admirable individual whose struggles have remained inspirational, it is a mistake to attempt to recycle her views in any type of urban design and to use her principles of neighborhood life as a model for how cities should evolve in the future. This is especially true of any considerations of how cities can be transformed into places that are more just.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Cities |
| DOIs | |
| State | Accepted/In press - Jan 1 2018 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Gentrification
- Manhattan
- Neighborhoods
- NIMBY
- Preservation
- Urban design
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Development
- Sociology and Political Science
- Urban Studies
- Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management
Cite this
Jane Jacobs and the limits to experience. / Kirby, Andrew.
In: Cities, 01.01.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Jane Jacobs and the limits to experience
AU - Kirby, Andrew
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - This paper builds on two of the author's earlier pieces, and argues that Jane Jacob's most celebrated book was at its roots a form of NIMBYism and was thus regressive-the antithesis of any model of justice.The first half of the paper situates Jacobs in the now-familiar struggle with Robert Moses but also the bigger picture of redevelopment in mid-century Manhattan. The second half revolves around three aspects of Jacobs' approach to cities; the first is her focus on individual actors, the second a libertarian stance which argues that government was the problem, never the solution, and the third was a claim for universal principles (regarding, for instance, density and land-use), although these were not based upon any empirical evidence.In short, it is argued that while Jacobs was an admirable individual whose struggles have remained inspirational, it is a mistake to attempt to recycle her views in any type of urban design and to use her principles of neighborhood life as a model for how cities should evolve in the future. This is especially true of any considerations of how cities can be transformed into places that are more just.
AB - This paper builds on two of the author's earlier pieces, and argues that Jane Jacob's most celebrated book was at its roots a form of NIMBYism and was thus regressive-the antithesis of any model of justice.The first half of the paper situates Jacobs in the now-familiar struggle with Robert Moses but also the bigger picture of redevelopment in mid-century Manhattan. The second half revolves around three aspects of Jacobs' approach to cities; the first is her focus on individual actors, the second a libertarian stance which argues that government was the problem, never the solution, and the third was a claim for universal principles (regarding, for instance, density and land-use), although these were not based upon any empirical evidence.In short, it is argued that while Jacobs was an admirable individual whose struggles have remained inspirational, it is a mistake to attempt to recycle her views in any type of urban design and to use her principles of neighborhood life as a model for how cities should evolve in the future. This is especially true of any considerations of how cities can be transformed into places that are more just.
KW - Gentrification
KW - Manhattan
KW - Neighborhoods
KW - NIMBY
KW - Preservation
KW - Urban design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041599682&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85041599682&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cities.2018.01.021
DO - 10.1016/j.cities.2018.01.021
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85041599682
JO - Cities
JF - Cities
SN - 0264-2751
ER -