Urban politics

Question 1

what elements are on the spectrum of urban politics?

Answer 1

Formal politics: Elections & city council politics
in the middle: Social movements
Informal politics: New social movements, lifestyle politics

Question 2

According to Hajnal and Trounstine, what are four competing explanations to city spending priorities?

Answer 2

1. political/pluralist
2. economic (political economy)
3. bureaucratic
4. institutional factors

Question 3

Explain the political/pluralist explanation to city spending priorities (Hajnal and Trounstine)

Answer 3

Politicians have to maintain support among voters
Their policies will reflect the preferences of a majority of voters
Example: if a city’s population is very leftist, the city should have leftist spending priorities

Question 4

explain the economic (political economy) explanation to city spending (Hajnal and Trounstine)

Answer 4

Cities have limited fiscal capacities for spending
Cities have limited powers. For instance, they cannot regulate migration
Governments will focus on the priorities of businesses
Redistributive polices might attract low-income residents and repel employers and wealthy residents

Question 5

what are social movements?

Answer 5

Mass movements with large numbers of activists
Main forms of influence: political lobbying, protest, civil disobedience, sometimes violence
Many social movements are urban: revolutionary movements, Occupy wall Street, Black Lives Matter, …

Question 6

What are the advantages of social movements in cities?

Answer 6

High visibility
Ability to disrupt public life (e.g., shutting down a freeway)
Potential of property damage
Potential of disorder and violence

Question 7

What is the difference between NSM and traditional socila movements?

Answer 7

1) less formalized VS mass participation
2) focus on unconventional tactics VS trying to alter the state and its actions
3) Focus of awareness, lifestyle, and individual behavior more than the state VS Main tactics: mobilization, lobbying, traditional protest tactics

Question 8

Who are freegans

Answer 8

Individuals who use behaviors like dumpster diving or discarded food and voluntary unemployment to protest against environmental degradation and capitalism.