Austerity urbanism and Olympic counter-legacies: Gendering, defending and expanding the urban commons in East London. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gillespie, Tom; Hardy, Kate; Watt, Paul
• Is Part Of: Environment and planning. Volume 36:Number 5(2018)
• Page Start: 812
• Page End: 830
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: Housing crisis -- urban commons -- austerity -- gender -- social reproduction -- occupation; Human geography -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Periodicals; Spatial behavior -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Ruimtelijke ordening; Social sciences; Periodicals; 304.2305
• DOI: 10.1177/0263775817753844
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0263-7758

Abstract

This article reflects on an occupation led by single mothers to contest the destruction of social housing in post-Olympics East London. In the process, it argues for a more gendered theorisation of the urban commons. Drawing on auto-ethnography, participant observation and qualitative interviews, the article argues three central points: First, that the occupation demonstrates the gendered nature of the urban commons and the leadership of women in defending them from enclosure; second that the defence of an existing urban commons enabled the creation of a new temporary commons characterised by the collectivisation of gendered socially reproductive activities; and third that this commoning has had a lasting impact on housing activism at the city scale and beyond. This impact is conceptualised as an 'Olympic counter-legacy' that is characterised by the forging of new relationships and affinities, the strengthening of networked activism and circulation of tactics between campaign groups.