Post-Utopian Spaces: Transforming and Re-Evaluating Urban Icons of Socialist Modernism

This book explores the transformation of 'ideal socialist cities' under new socio-economic and political conditions after the fall of communism. It features up-to-date and insightful analyses and comparative case studies from various countries, prioritizing objective scientific knowledge and expert rethinking of the historical experience of urban planning in the former socialist countries of Eurasia. The book examines the ongoing transformation of these cities, from uniformed urban environments to chaotic post-modernist planning, from industrialization to touristification, and from deideologization to the making of new and highly contested heritage.

Format: Hardback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 15 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive and timely book delves into the exploration of 'ideal socialist cities' and their remarkable transformation under the new socio-economic and political conditions that emerged after the fall of communism. Drawing upon the expertise of esteemed scholars from various countries, this publication prioritizes objective scientific knowledge and offers a fresh perspective on the historical experience of urban planning in the former socialist countries of Eurasia. Through the selection of carefully chosen examples of iconic cities of socialist modernism, this book showcases the ongoing evolution of these cities, from their uniformed urban environments to the chaotic post-modernist planning, from the era of industrialization to the emergence of tourism, and from the process of deideologization to the creation of new and highly contested heritage. Written in an accessible and engaging style, this book appeals to students and scholars alike in the fields of urban studies, human geography, sociology, social anthropology, spatial planning, and architectural practice. By examining these cities' transformations, this book provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of urban development, the role of ideology in shaping urban spaces, and the challenges and opportunities that arise in the process of transitioning from socialist to post-socialist societies.

Weight: 620g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032197685