Progressive urbanism in small towns: the contingencies of governing from the Left

Beveridge, R. and Naumann, M. (2023) Progressive urbanism in small towns: the contingencies of governing from the Left. Urban Affairs Review, 59(1), pp. 43-72. (doi: 10.1177/10780874211055834)

Abstract

The progressive potential of urban politics is the subject of growing interest. However, debates have been largely focused on large cities with strong progressive constituencies of activists and Left-voting residents. We know little about the opportunities and challenges for progressive politics in smaller urban areas. This article addresses these shortcomings through a discussion of “progressive urbanism” in relation to small towns. In doing so, it makes three main contributions. First, it provides a definition of progressive urbanism as political projects of social justice, citizenship and democracy exploring the contingent potential of “localism”, “urban movements” and “municipal government”. Second, the article provides empirical insights on small towns in the German state of Brandenburg governed by mayors of the Left Party. Third, the article outlines challenges and opportunities of progressive urbanism in small towns, providing points of reflection for future research.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Much of Ross Beveridge’s work on this paper was funded by an Urban Studies Foundation Senior Research Fellowship at the University of Glasgow.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Beveridge, Dr Ross
• Authors: Beveridge, R., and Naumann, M.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: Urban Affairs Review
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 1078-0874
• ISSN (Online): 1552-8332
• Published Online: 06 December 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Urban Affairs Review 59(1): 43-72
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License