"Privatism" and its Aftermath. Post-socialist Housing Policy and Modes of Vulnerability in Prague, Czech Republic
Abstrakt
Throughout the last decade Prague became the 6th wealthiest metropolitan region in European Union. The omnipotence of the global capital, accompanied by the trends of financialization and commodification of nearly everything in the city (for example shared economy and retailization of public spaces), creates a pervasive pressure on socio-materiality of the urban environment.
Moreover, since 2013 Prague has been implementing "progressive"planning ideology. New agenda as for example innovative Master Plan, Strategic planning and Participatory development became new public discussion mantra(s).
Based on the observation of previously listed trends, official development policies and current participatory planning projects in Prague, I will focus on various forms of inhabitants' vulnerability and resilience. My main argument is that contemporary development of the city is so awkward and opaque, that discussions and decisions in favour of "urbanism for all" (Florida 2017) became increasingly splintered (Graham 2001) or even malfunctional.
In other words, both city administration and urban population can hardly keep pace with the globally driven "capitalocene" changes of the urbanity. In order to describe the structure of the "game" and show its particular consequences, three contradictory yet interconnected regimes of actor motivations and strategies will be introduced and put under question: (1) free market mindset of economic(al) subjects, especially of developers, private sector urbanists and architects, (2) "hidden" neoliberal development agenda oriented on densification of the city structure that is supported by councilors, officials and city's department of development and (3) reactive practices, negotiations or legal claims of the wider public, activists and NGO sector.