The Political Economy of Urban Space

A set of flashcards summarizing key concepts, definitions, and issues related to the political economy of urban space, focusing on housing, segregation, and suburban development.

Political Economy

A structural framework explaining city space as shaped by government programs and private capital investment, not individual choice.

Suburbanization

The process where populations move from city centers to outlying suburbs, often influenced by transportation development and economic factors.

Housing Affordability Crisis

The long-run trend of housing costs consuming an increasing share of income, particularly impacting lower-wage workers.

Redlining

The discriminatory practice where banks and real estate agents guide Black buyers away from white neighborhoods or deny them loans.

MCMR (Multi-Centered Metropolitan Region)

A dispersed urban form with multiple employment and residential nodes, typical of contemporary American metro areas.

Segregation

The separation of different racial, ethnic, or social groups, often intensified by economic conditions and housing policies.

Government Mortgage Insurance

Federal programs that reduce bank risk in home lending, promoting suburban residential construction.

Agent-side vs. Structural-side Theories

Two competing explanations of suburbanization, one focusing on individual preferences, the other on institutional influences.

Slums and Shantytowns

Informal settlements lacking basic services, formed when immigration exceeds the supply of formal housing.

Social Costs of MCMR Sprawl

The negative consequences of rapid suburban growth, including traffic, environmental issues, and social inequality.