Remunicipalisation, mutating neoliberalism, and the conjuncture

Cumbers, A. and Paul, F. (2022) Remunicipalisation, mutating neoliberalism, and the conjuncture. Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography, 54(1), pp. 197-217. (doi: 10.1111/anti.12761)

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the progressive potential of remunicipalisation, a global trend for towns, cities, and even subnational regions to take formerly privatised assets and services back into public ownership. In this paper, we offer a novel conceptualisation of remunicipalisation, developing a spatialised conjunctural perspective through critical engagement with the work of Stuart Hall, Antonio Gramsci, and recent geographical scholarship on political economy transitions. This draws attention to the open, dynamic, political, and spatially diverse aspects of remunicipalisation as part of a mutating process of neoliberalism. Emphasising the conjunctural insight of neoliberalism’s shifting and variegated terrain on which progressive forces have to mobilise, our theorisation has implications for left political strategy and broader transformative projects against a backdrop of global economic, social, and ecological crisis.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: We acknowledge the support of the European Research Council for funding research behind this paper (grant number: 789100, Global Remunicipalisation and the Post-Neoliberal Turn).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cumbers, Professor Andrew and Paul, Dr Franziska
• Authors: Cumbers, A., and Paul, F.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0066-4812
• ISSN (Online): 1467-8330
• Published Online: 02 August 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography 54(1): 197-217
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License