The theme of this book is "what can we do together/ be together?" Simone begins by recognizing that urban concretions (the core) serve only established networks that often keep out smaller players or minority participants. As a result some [all?] cities possess a periphery of informal economies and networks that allow marginalized groups to eke out livings by interacting with one another in creative ways. Beyond the reduction of this realm to a particular geography (outside the city center, as the term implies), Simone claims this realm is everywhere and nowhere. It thrives due to its "cityness", and it is best exemplified in cities across the global south, from Dakar to Jakarta. In this realm and in these places, things shift so fast and frequently that people must be extremely flexible in their undertakings and anticipate intersections for a brief capitalization before they move on to the next anticipation. While some figures rise above the fray either through some sort of scaling or consolidation, most feel their perch is precarious and they could lose their status or advantage at any given moment. This coupled with a dearth of trust in political officials prohibits capital intensive ventures and encourages make-shift and fly-by-night enterprises, licit and illicit. In cities of the global south this periphery and periphery/core composition is extremely fragmented, offering no hope of an indexing, ordering, or consolidation. Instead the author gives examples of how people come together and do things despite the disjointedness. It is seldom pretty and never perfect, but it is still remarkable what is in fact possible.
This is a good book to get started with these concepts. I found it difficult to get through the portions on theory, but it really comes alive with the real stories the author has to tell, demonstrating working networks despite such disjointedness from his decades of experience living and researching in these places. I'd like to continue reading by looking into several of the more theoretical books in Simone's bibliography and by coming back to his real world examples in this book on occasion for grounding.
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Top reviews from other countries
rl3
Lighter on Theory, Heavier on Examples
Reviewed in the United States on 12 September 2017Verified Purchase
Francisco Faria
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2015Verified Purchase
