The right to the city – intersectional perspectives on the gendered nature of urban space

Research Project, 2020 – 2023

This research proposal deals with gendered inequalities in urban space, and how social transformation can be achieved. Specifically, it tries to identify an ‘intersectional’ complexity, based on the fact that inequality seldom comes in an easily detectable form, but often consists of several layers of social exclusion, relating not only to gender, but also to race, ethnicity, class, age and sexuality. An intersectional approach raises questions about how different power relations risk strengthening each other and thereby contribute to make certain groups specifically exposed to social exclusion. ‘The right to the city’ is a strand of urban studies theory which emphasizes the importance of different groups’ radical participation in urban planning, and the reclaiming of the city as a place for political action. However, it has been underlined, lately, that many questions remain underexplored when it comes to gendered rights to the city. Hence, this research proposal aims to investigate how gendered inequalities in urban space can be understood, and how social transformations can be achieved. Project activities are made up of 1.) Three case studies that will give different perspectives on intersectional, gendered relations in the city; 2.) A one-month academic research visit at the Institute on Democracy and Inequality at UCLA, USA; and 3.) A concluding seminar at Chalmers with invited panelists from both the academic field, the city of Gothenburg, the Västra Götaland Region and the public.