Citizen attitudes in Cali Colombia

Our paper on citizen satisfaction levels in Cali, Colombia is just published. I am coauthor along with Lina Martinez and Marianella Ortiz of the Urban Observatory at ICESI University in Cali. You can access the paper here for free, at least for a while. Here is the abstract and the final paragraph. 

The Abstract

We present data from a recent survey of residents' satisfaction levels with a range of urban public goods and government performance in Cali, Colombia. The more affluent report higher levels of satisfaction, especially with regard to security, public space, utilities and government performance, compared to the poor. The low scoring on satisfaction with civic norms and government performance, especially amongst the poor, undermines the notion of an aspirations paradox, suggests a lack of social capital and distrust of government, and indicates a social capital deficit.

Final paragraph

Achieving a more just and fair city requires fashioning more redistributional programs directly concerned with improving security, enhancing the efficacy of government performance, raising the quality of public space and the amount of social capital. All of these goals need to be pursued actively for the poor and the poorest areas in the city, if we are serious about creating a more just, humane and fair city.

Gated home in Cali Colombia (Photo © John Rennie Short)

Cities and climate change

I was interviewed by the folks at the journal Citiscope concerning the ideas I introduced at the conference at the French Embassy on cities and climate change. You can access the article here.

There are more Baltimores: the legacy of hollowed out cities

A deeper and wider look at the Baltimores of America. A summary of my argument is also available here.

Empty housing in Baltimore (Photo: ©John Rennie Short)

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The riots in Baltimore

I was asked to write a piece in The Conversation on the rioting in Baltimore. Click here to access the discussion: The fire this time and the fire last time and the time between.

Baltimore: policing

Baltimore: citizens calling for calm

Scenes from downtown Chicago

Visited Chicago to attend the Association of American Geographers Annual Conference. Had a chance to take a walk around downtown and take some photos.

Millennium Park

Millennium Park

beside the river

Sign at building entrance

View from Art Institute

City Marketing

My article on city marketing was just published in the latest edition of the monumental International Encyclopedia of theSocial and Behavioral Sciences. Here is the abstract:

City marketing has grown in size and importance. A historical contextualization considers the selling of the frontier city, the resort, the suburb, and the industrial city. The article explores the symbolic reconstruction of cities through a discussion of strategies and tactics of city marketing. Marketing strategies include the promotion of the postindustrial city, the global city, the business city, the good city, the green city, the cosmopolitan city, and the city of culture. The tactics of city marketing include namings, slogans, logos, and the construction of iconic buildings. The article discusses what city marketing reveals about social power in cities.