Progressive procurement and corporate accountability in Barcelona
Public procurement is one of the areas where it is possible to achieve progress in making transnational corporations accountable, particularly with a view to making public policies consistent and coherent. In Europe, since the last revision of the EU directives on public procurement, there have…
#RavalVsBlackstone. The right to the city versus the finance-real estate-tourism complex
Barcelona has become one of the key targets – and victims – of the global tourism and property industry, spurred by financial firms such as Blackstone. But inhabitants and social movements are fighting back. Photo: Daniel Von Appen
Tech giants, privatisers and the arms industry. Fighting the “smart city” in France
All over the globe, corporations and politicians are hyping up the concept of “smart cities”, but what exactly lies behind the catchy slogan? And whose interests does it serve? There is growing resistance to the idea due to fears of privatisation, increasing surveillance as well…
Defending life in cities through feminist action. Taking care services out of corporate hands
Care activities essential to city life, such as personal services or cleaning, are increasingly monopolised by large companies offering poverty wag- es and draconian working conditions. But their employees — women who are often discriminated against because of their origin, skin color or age —…
The “Preston Model”. A UK city takes the lead in progressive procurement
Strongly affected by deindustrialisation, and more recently by austerity policies imposed on councils following the financial crisis, Preston, in the north of England, has chosen to no longer depend on external investors for its “development” and radically reorient its public procurement to favour local economic…
Municipalist politics and the specter of emancipation
In the past decade there has been a rise of new politics that have stemmed from different political backgrounds and contexts, and although they sometimes differ significantly, each was a manifestation of the “specter of emancipation” that was haunting the world. However, this emancipatory push…
European cities see life without crowds of tourists – And want to keep it that way
The coronavirus shutdown has had a devastating effect on European city’s economy like Amsterdam, Prague and Barcelona. Tourism is the lifeblood of many of these continent’s historic cities, many hope the pandemic will end up changing tourism for the better. According to Shaul Bassi, director…
Let children reclaim the streets for a summer of outdoor play
So far, children have featured in the pandemic discussion mostly in relation to the reopening of schools. Now that we know that public spaces can be rapidly transformed by collective action, we can start giving streets back to children. The author of this article puts…
Covid-19 crisis means England’s local authorities could go bust, warn mayors
Mayors in some of England’s biggest cities are warning that local authorities are at risk of going bust with potentially devastating consequences for communities unless the government takes immediate action. As the impact of the Covid-19 crisis hits local authorities, the mayors of London, Greater…