Metropolitics

Breaking Down the NYPD: How Reconsidering Political District Maps Could Open New Doors to Police Accountability

Toby Irving — 2024-02-16T04:09:00Z

Efforts to stem the power of the NYPD and the violence such power facilitates require accountability to the people of New York City. Yet such accountability is hindered by uneven distributions of power across fragmented political geographies and those closest to their communities—city council members—often have multiple police precincts with jurisdiction over their districts. In this essay, Toby Irving outlines a pathway to greater accountability through redistricting city council seats to

- Essays / New York, police violence, police accountability, police, United States, fragmentation, local governance, local government, local politics

Inclusive Place-Based Leadership: Lesson-Drawing from Urban Governance Innovations in Bristol, UK

Robin Hambleton — 2018-10-09T05:00:00Z

Across the world, progressive city leaders are working to limit the damaging impact of decisions made by “placeless” leaders, meaning powerful interests that are unconcerned about the consequences of their decisions for particular places and communities. Robin Hambleton outlines a new way of thinking about place-based leadership and reports on the steps being taken by Mayor Marvin Rees and other civic leaders in Bristol, UK, to test this model in practice.
---- Series: Progressive Mayors and

- From the Field / local government, governance, local governance, United Kingdom, progressive urban politics, civic innovation, progressive mayors, city leadership, power of place, collaborative governance, inclusion, Bristol, England

The Leaderless Urban Social Movement as Problem and Solution

Caio Teixeira — 2018-09-25T05:00:00Z

Today, with urban uprisings driven by leaderless social movements, the future of the would-be progressive agenda has been called into question. Inspired by Brazil's “June Journeys”, Caio Teixeira explores how we might situate leaderless social movements and their forward-looking agenda within the context of the leftist political spectrum.
---- Series: Progressive Mayors and Urban Social Movements The literature on urban politics has shown the enduring role of progressive social movements in

- From the Field / public transportation, local government, São Paulo, social movement, transport, state, mass transit, progressive urban politics, Brazil, fares, political power, policymaking, mayors, progressive mayors, horizontality, leaderless social movements

The Limits of Progressive Policymaking in US Cities

Richard Schragger — 2018-09-11T05:05:00Z

While many US cities appear to enjoy extensive powers—as evidenced by the progressive policies enacted by certain mayors—local government is in reality often curbed by legislative retaliation at state and federal levels, in a context of ruthless political competition, geographical polarization, and rising anti-urbanism. Richard Schragger, author of City Power, sheds light on the dynamics at play and how cities can respond to them.
---- Series: Progressive Mayors and Urban Social Movements

- Essays / city, local government, urban policy, conflict, polarization, state, progressive urban politics, political geography, political power, anti-urbanism, policymaking, power play

Repositioning the state's role through water politics in Mexico City's informal settlements

Guillem Ramírez Chico — 2018-03-27T05:00:00Z

Throughout the Mexico City metropolitan area, the struggle for water access often defines the relationship (or lack thereof) between municipal governments and residents. Guillem Ramirez Chico delineates the distinctive local politics of water provision in three of the area's informal settlements, asserting that poor households are frequently left vulnerable in the name of environmental conservation.
In Mexico City, water is used as a political tool to get political support, through client

- From the Field / local government, water, settlements, state, informality, Mexico, informal housing, water access, water politics, informal settlements, state-free spaces, Mexico City

Municipal socialism in France from the interwar period to the 1970s

Aude Chamouard & translated by Oliver Waine — 2014-04-30T04:55:00Z

“Municipal socialism” has marked the history of many cities in France (Lille, Toulouse and Bordeaux, to name but three). The period between the two world wars saw the rise of the great figures of the Socialist Party – following in the footsteps of Henri Sellier – on the political landscape of urban France. But how did they differ from other elected representatives? And is it true to say they espoused an innovative form of local government? Following the recent municipal elections in France, we

- From the Field / France, local government, local authorities, local councillors, local democracy, municipal, Parti socialiste, municipal socialism, Socialist Party, patronage

The Localism Act in London: institutionalising urban divisions

Justinien Tribillon — 2014-04-16T05:00:00Z

By decentralising planning powers to local communities, the British Conservative government claims that they are strengthening local democracy and protecting it from the mistakes of big government. In a map-based analysis of the effects of the Localism Act in London, Justinien Tribillon disputes this claim and underlines the reinforcement of urban economic divisions through a new parochialism.
“Good fences make good neighbours,” goes an English proverb.
Introduced by the coalition

- Debates / participation, local government, governance, local authorities, London, United Kingdom, local democracy, neighborhood, localism, England

Will local-government reform in London involve or abandon its citizens?

Martine Drozdz & translated by Oliver Waine — 2013-07-03T12:23:55Z

While the current financial crisis has compromised local authorities' ability to deliver municipal services, the Localism Act adopted in England in 2011 seeks to relieve the problem by encouraging greater involvement from civil society. However, when combined with drastic public spending cuts, this reform above all threatens to sideline citizens in favour of the private sector.
One of the first acts of the Conservative–Lib Dem coalition that came to power in the UK in 2010 was to bring in

- Debates / participation, local government, governance, local authorities, London, United Kingdom, local democracy, urban public service, neighborhood, localism, England, urban services

The politics of municipal mergers (and demergers) in Montreal

Richard Harris — 2013-03-06T05:55:00Z

In the late 1990s, the province of Quebec reacted to metropolitan growth in Montreal by merging the city with 27 of its suburbs, provoking a major debate and, ultimately, a number of demergers. An account written by one of the leading opponents to amalgamation (and ex-mayor of one of the demerged suburbs) discusses the experience and the issues at stake, providing a timely counterpoint to the French debate on “Greater Paris”.
Detailed accounts of municipal amalgamation can be exciting. Who

- Reviews / local government, decentralization, governance, democracy, local finance, local governance, local authorities, intercommunality, Montreal, Canada

Housing: for an act III of the decentralization process

Patrice Lanco & translated by Michael Stokes — 2011-02-18T07:13:51Z

Although housing has not been concerned before now by decentralization, the contrasted realities of local markets have led to the emergence of local housing policies. The author argues that these local experiments should be furthered by a real decentralization of responsibilities and prerogatives as far as housing is concerned. Here he reveals various ways and means for organizing and implementing this.
Concerning housing, a decision was made, during act I of the decentralization process in

- Debates / housing, local government, housing policy, decentralization