L4 - Beyond Metrocentricity

Question 1

What is metrocentricity?

Answer 1

‘metropolitan’ - encapsulates idea of MN but with cities - a disproportionate focus on:

1. specific urban processes
2. cities
3. world regions which other cities are ‘benchmarked’ against

experiences of cities are reduced to ‘variations on a universal form’ - epistemologically problematic

Question 2

‘centers of calculation’ (Latour 1987)

Answer 2

epistemological hierarchies rooted in the Western tradition - necessary to ‘provincialise Europe’ (Chakrabarty 2000)

Question 3

Mohammad & Sidaway 2012

Answer 3

Abu-Dhabi through the lives of migrants - 75% foreign workers, less than 1% HI

Question 4

McEwan 2005

Answer 4

Birmingham and the reproduction of cultural-economic networks within Chinese and Bangladesh communities…

Transnational ethnic community based networks shaping cities in particular ways