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Green Subjection: The Politics of Neoliberal Urban Environmental Management

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  • PETER BRAND

Abstract

This article addresses the question as to why, in contrast to national governments, city administrations engage so enthusiastically with urban environmental problems. It argues that the politics of urban environmentalism need to be examined not from the point of view of ecological rationality and alternative politics, but as an integral part of spatial transformation and social regulation under neoliberal urbanization. Recent contributions to theoretical debate on this issue are examined, with especial attention paid to the themes of governance, citizenship, subjectivity and ‘regulation of the self’, and their relevance to the understanding of contemporary urban environmental policy and management practices. The article explores the way in which urban environmental management can be understood as contributing to the constitution of the self‐governing citizen in the individualized urban milieu of contemporary cities, a process in which the progressive and libertarian aspirations of much early environmental thought have been subtly converted into a new form of subjection to the strategic requirements and political conveniences of neoliberal city administrations. Résumé Quelles sont les raisons pour lesquelles, contrairement aux gouvernements nationaux, les autorités administratives des villes se lancent avec autant d'enthousiasme dans les questions d'environnement urbain ? Il faut examiner la politique d'environnementalisme urbain, non pas en termes de rationalitéécologique ou de politique alternative, mais comme une partie intégrante de la transformation spatiale et de la régulation sociale découlant d'une urbanisation néolibérale. En étudiant de récentes contributions au débat théorique à cet égard, l'article s'attache aux thèmes de gouvernance, citoyenneté, subjectivité et ‘régulation de soi’, ainsi qu'à leur pertinence aux fins de mieux comprendre la politique publique contemporaine en environnement urbain et ses pratiques de gestion. Ainsi, la gestion environnementale urbaine peut‐elle être envisagée comme un apport permettant la constitution du citoyen autonome dans le milieu urbain individualisé que sont les grandes villes contemporaines, un processus dans lequel les aspirations progressistes et libertaires d'une réflexion environnementale déjà ancienne ont été converties subtilement en une nouvelle forme de soumission aux besoins stratégiques et convenances politiques propres aux administrations municipales néolibérales.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Brand, 2007. "Green Subjection: The Politics of Neoliberal Urban Environmental Management," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 616-632, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:31:y:2007:i:3:p:616-632
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.2007.00748.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brenner, Neil, 2004. "New State Spaces: Urban Governance and the Rescaling of Statehood," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199270064.
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    Cited by:

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    4. Joshua Long & Jennifer L Rice, 2019. "From sustainable urbanism to climate urbanism," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(5), pages 992-1008, April.
    5. Cousins, Joshua J., 2021. "Justice in nature-based solutions: Research and pathways," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
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