Henri Lefebvre: Reclaiming Urban Space, Recovering Citizenship

Abstract:The "right to the city," as first announced by Henri Lefebvre, is a direct challenge to the current allocation, use and governance of urban spaces. This essay seeks to demonstrate that in addition to expanding our conventional conception of rights, Lefebvre also proposes a new understanding of citizenship. This concept of citizenship simultaneously undermines the Westphalian system's cramped view of citizenship as legal membership in a particular nation state—emphasizing, instead, the vital link between citizenship and inhabitance—and promotes a more robust model in which citizens manage their own urban spaces. While expressing support for Lefebvre's basic goals, the essay critically examines proposals to extend urban citizens' self-management of their city to a right to participate in any decision—even those of multinational corporations and other nation states––whose policies may impact the city.