‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia
The article analyses the use of cultural programmes and trash as tools for urban speculation in tallinn, Estonia, naturalising an urban strategy that entails extensive spatial revaluation and socioeconomic intervention. Through an anthropological perspective focused on concepts of potential and tras...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Suomen Antropologinen Seura (Finnish Anthropological Society)
2018-02-01
|
| Series: | Suomen Antropologi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.fi/suomenantropologi/article/view/60577/30841 |
| _version_ | 1824005088080822272 |
|---|---|
| author | Francisco Martínez |
| author_facet | Francisco Martínez |
| author_sort | Francisco Martínez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article analyses the use of cultural programmes and trash as tools for urban speculation in tallinn, Estonia, naturalising an urban strategy that entails extensive spatial revaluation and socioeconomic intervention. Through an anthropological perspective focused on concepts of potential and trash, the analysis shows how the central-north shoreline was mobilised discursively as a wasteland and a zone of unrealised potential to justify capitalist development of the area. The way it was framed, both moving towards completion and as a playground for cultural activities and young people, increased the value and accessibility of the area, but also allowed real estate developers to exploit the synergies generated and make profit from the revaluated plots. Tropes of potential and trash appear thus as discursive tools for urban regeneration, co-related with a formal allocation of resources and official permits. As the case study shows, when an area is classed as having ‘potential’, it becomes defined by the fulfilment of that restrictive conceptualisation, which allows the economy to dictate urban planning and also cultural policy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T20:04:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-366cdb8111f94d78b03dd8aa80eee019 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1799-8972 1799-8972 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T20:04:47Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Suomen Antropologinen Seura (Finnish Anthropological Society) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Suomen Antropologi |
| spelling | doaj.art-366cdb8111f94d78b03dd8aa80eee0192022-12-21T20:54:47ZengSuomen Antropologinen Seura (Finnish Anthropological Society)Suomen Antropologi1799-89721799-89722018-02-01423422‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, EstoniaFrancisco Martínez0Aalto UniversityThe article analyses the use of cultural programmes and trash as tools for urban speculation in tallinn, Estonia, naturalising an urban strategy that entails extensive spatial revaluation and socioeconomic intervention. Through an anthropological perspective focused on concepts of potential and trash, the analysis shows how the central-north shoreline was mobilised discursively as a wasteland and a zone of unrealised potential to justify capitalist development of the area. The way it was framed, both moving towards completion and as a playground for cultural activities and young people, increased the value and accessibility of the area, but also allowed real estate developers to exploit the synergies generated and make profit from the revaluated plots. Tropes of potential and trash appear thus as discursive tools for urban regeneration, co-related with a formal allocation of resources and official permits. As the case study shows, when an area is classed as having ‘potential’, it becomes defined by the fulfilment of that restrictive conceptualisation, which allows the economy to dictate urban planning and also cultural policy.https://journal.fi/suomenantropologi/article/view/60577/30841politics of potentialityurban regenerationEuropean Capital of Culturewaterfront of tallinntemporary useswasteland |
| spellingShingle | Francisco Martínez ‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia Suomen Antropologi politics of potentiality urban regeneration European Capital of Culture waterfront of tallinn temporary uses wasteland |
| title | ‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_full | ‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_fullStr | ‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_short | ‘This Place Has Potential’: Trash, Culture, and Urban Regeneration in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_sort | this place has potential trash culture and urban regeneration in tallinn estonia |
| topic | politics of potentiality urban regeneration European Capital of Culture waterfront of tallinn temporary uses wasteland |
| url | https://journal.fi/suomenantropologi/article/view/60577/30841 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT franciscomartinez thisplacehaspotentialtrashcultureandurbanregenerationintallinnestonia |