Ruderal City: Ecologies of Migration, Race, and Urban Nature in Berlin

In Ruderal City, Bettina Stoetzer explores the relationships between people, plants, and animals in contemporary Berlin, theorizing the city as a "ruderal city" shaped by racial, class, and gender inequalities. Drawing on fieldwork with various stakeholders, she offers an ethnographic portrait of Berlins postwar ecologies and reveals emergent futures in the margins of European cities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 08 November 2022
Publisher: Duke University Press

In the vibrant city of Berlin, Bettina Stoetzer delves into the intricate web of connections between people, plants, and animals, exploring the complexities of their lives amidst the ruins of European nationalism and capitalism. Through her innovative concept of the "ruderal," originally referring to the unruly life that thrives in inhospitable environments like rubble, roadsides, train tracks, and sidewalk cracks, Stoetzer presents Berlin as a "ruderal city."

Stoetzer embarks on a captivating journey through sites in and around Berlin that have played significant roles in German national imaginaries, including gardens, forests, parks, and rubble fields. By examining how racial, class, and gender inequalities shape contestations over the uses and knowledge of urban nature, she sheds light on the complex dynamics at play in this urban landscape.

Through extensive fieldwork with gardeners, botanists, migrant workers, refugees, public officials, and nature enthusiasts, Stoetzer paints a rich ethnographic portrait of Berlin's postwar ecologies. Her research reveals emerging futures in the margins of European cities, challenging our preconceptions and offering new perspectives on the space of nature and culture.

Berlin's ruderal worlds are filled with captivating stories that bridge the divide between environmental perspectives and the study of migration and racial politics. These narratives help us reimagine the relationship between these realms and challenge the categories through which we understand urban life in challenging times.

In conclusion, Bettina Stoetzer's book "Berlins ruderal worlds" is a groundbreaking exploration of the complex relationships between people, plants, and animals in contemporary Berlin. Through her innovative concept of the "ruderal," she offers a fresh perspective on the city as a "ruderal city" and sheds light on the ways in which racial, class, and gender inequalities shape our understanding of urban nature. By delving into the rich ethnographic portrait of Berlin's postwar ecologies, Stoetzer presents us with emerging futures in the margins of European cities and challenges us to reimagine the space of nature and culture in challenging times.

Weight: 499g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478018605