The Right to the Gendered City: Different Formations of Belonging in Everyday Life

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss new forms of citizenship in globalized cities from a gendered and feminist perspective and to connect them to women's everyday life and to cities' planning and governance. In doing so, I challenge the Lefebvrian notion of the right to the city using a gendered and feminist critique by arguing that the identification of the right to the city lacks sufficient attention to patriarchal power relations which are ethnic, cultural and gender-related and as such it doesn't produce a practical standpoint. I will develop this critique by looking at women's everyday experiences and their reflections regarding their sense of comfort, belonging and commitment to the city they live in.

Urban planning and the everyday experience of Palestinian women in Jaffa

“…We refer to Jewish women who have Israel citizenship too. (Fenster, 2007;Madanipour, 2003;Sandercock, 2003;Yiftachel, 1998;Sibley, 1995). Accordingly, the urban space and the built environment express a hierarchy which is based on the historical concept of power relationships (Harvey, 1996;Lefebvre, 1991;Foucault, 1980).…”

“…New theories, which are centred on the relations between space, marginal groups and power, have emphasized the need to recognize cultural and social differences and to take in account the demands of the different groups living in the urban space (Fenster, 2005;Sandercock, 2000Sandercock, , 2003Fincher and Jacobs, 1998;Razack, 1998;Healley et al, 1997;Young, 1990;Hayden, 1995). These theories underline the own spatial experience of different groups while taking into consideration the voice of the "Other", providing a representation for these persons, being aware of their culture and needs.…”

“…In addition, the planners, who belong to the dominant group, tell only one geographic and historical narrative and reproduce the memory of their group. In contrast, the story of marginalized groups, including natives and women, is absent from the urban space (Fenster, 2007;Sandercock, 2003;Zukin, 1995). Memory expresses spatial power, which helps people to define their past and therefore enables the individual to have contact with the built environment (Hayden, 1995;Zukin, 1995;Casey, 1987).…”

“…The claim over space may also include the right to memory and belonging, which is structured and defined by the daily activities of individuals and social organizations (Fenster, 2007;Sandercock, 2003). Thus, the daily, repeated use of certain spaces in the city constructs and shapes the users' sense of belonging to it and fulfils their rights to use these places (Leach, 2002;de Certeau, 1984).…”

“…Through them the dominant group, the Jewish succeed to control the land and oppressed the native Palestinian. On this basis, the planning institutions in Israel, in general, and in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, in particular, have developed discriminating and ignoring planning and spatial policies (Fenster, 2007;Monterescu, 2007;Yiftachel, 2006;LeVine, 1999). This article indicates that these discriminating and ignoring spatial planning policies and practices lead to un-appropriate, un-safety and alien spaces, which in turn exclude and reduce the Palestinian women geographical activities, into a contractile and limited space.…”