Fragments of the City: Making and Remaking Urban Worlds

Cities are becoming increasingly fragmented materially, socially, and spatially, with fragments of stuff, knowledge, writing strategies, and political practices used to politicize the city and capture life and change.

Format: Hardback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 05 October 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

Cities are undergoing a profound fragmentation in terms of their material, social, and spatial aspects. This fragmentation manifests itself in various forms, ranging from broken toilets and everyday objects to art and forms of writing. These fragments serve as signatures of urban life and catalysts for change. In his book, Fragments of the City, Colin McFarlane delves into the nature of these fragments and their significance in the experience, politics, and expression of cities.

When we view the city through the lens of its fragments, it appears as a complex and multifaceted entity. For those living on the economic margins, the city is often experienced as a collection of disparate pieces. Much of the daily challenges faced by low-income residents revolve around fragments of stuff, created and repurposed within the context of urban density, social infrastructure, and political practices.

In this book, McFarlane explores various aspects of fragmentation in cities. He examines infrastructure in Mumbai, Kampala, and Cape Town; artistic montages in Los Angeles and Dakar; refugee struggles in Berlin; and the repurposing of fragments in Hong Kong and New York. Fragments emerge as tangible objects, forms of knowledge, and writing strategies. They are employed in efforts to politicize the city and in urban writing to capture the essence of life and change in the world's major cities.

Fragments of the City serves as a comprehensive survey of the role of fragments in shaping our understanding, representation, writing, and transformation of urban worlds. It sheds light on the ways in which these fragments contribute to the rich tapestry of urban life and offer opportunities for positive change. By exploring the intersections of materiality, society, and space, McFarlane provides a valuable contribution to the field of urban studies and urbanism.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520382237