Defensive urbanism and local governance

Perspectives from the Basque Country

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl/0000-0000-0000-1138

Keywords:

Defensive urbanism, homelessness, glocalisation, social control, punitivism

Abstract

In contrast with the perspective of local safety audits for women, which aim to promote the democratic use of public space in the context of inclusive urbanism or pro-social design, defensive urbanism is a term that has been related to situational prevention in order to bar or restrict the use of public space by several stigmatised groups. This trend can be understood in terms of the broken windows theory and zero tolerance approaches in criminology as well as of social exclusion in globalised cities. This paper will tackle the origin and development of the concept of defensive urbanism, as a kind of local governance related to broader trends in securatisation, as well as its visible ramifications in some administrative regulations in some Basque municipalities.

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Author Biography

Gema Varona, Permanent researcher at the Basque Institute of Criminology

Gema Varona is senior researcher at the Basque Institute of Criminology, University of the Basque Country. Contact details: Centro Carlos Santamaría Zentroa, Elhuyar Plaza, 2. 20018 - San Sebastián. Spain. Email address: gemmamaria.varona@ehu.eus

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Published

13-09-2021 — Updated on 01-12-2021

How to Cite

Varona, G. (2021) “Defensive urbanism and local governance: Perspectives from the Basque Country”, Oñati Socio-Legal Series, 11(6), pp. 1273–1291. doi: 10.35295/osls.iisl/0000-0000-0000-1138.