Tag: racial capitalism

Uneven development and the anti-politics machine

The Market Value Analysis (MVA), and similar algorithms, perpetuate racial and class-based inequalities by embedding systemic biases into urban planning and the geography of cities under the guise of objectivity. Presented as neutral tools, these algorithms depoliticize decisions, reinforcing the legacies of redlining while prioritizing capital accumulation over equitable development and justifying the abandonment of marginalized communities. [continue reading]

Interrogating narratives of urban change

Baltimore’s treatment of majority-Black neighborhoods versus Latine/x areas illustrates how racist logics structure urban development. While Latine/x neighborhoods like Highlandtown are framed as vibrant immigrant communities worthy of preservation, Black neighborhoods like Upton are cast as slums primed for exploitation and “renewal.” This distinction impacts how each neighborhood experiences investment or neglect, with Latine/x areas more likely to attract capital while Black neighborhoods face... [continue reading]

The Ground Rent Machine

In Baltimore, Maryland, more than 55,000 homes—roughly 30 percent of all residential plots—are subject to ground rent, a legacy of British feudal property law. Under this landlord–tenant system, the homeowner makes payments to the ground leaseholder, who maintains rights to the land. During the early 2000s, many Baltimoreans fell behind on their ground rent due to recessionary headwinds and were “ejected” from their homes... [continue reading]

National Forgetting in the American South

Using a cultural landscape approach, this study examines all National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) sites in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, located in the southern United States. The NRHP recognizes sites representative of “our” national heritage by listing them on this registry. From analysis of these records and related archival materials and observations garnered from field visits to select historic sites in the parish, this... [continue reading]

Mapping for Whom?

Scholars have shown that communities of color and low-income communities are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and without intervention, scientists will miss localized events in these neighborhoods and these communities might go unrepresented in rainfall models, further exacerbating the disproportionate impact. [continue reading]