In this comparative ethnographic study, author Mah (sociology, University of Warwick) examines the connections between the socio-economic and cultural geographies of ruined and abandoned industrial buildings and the long-term implications for communities affected by abandoned industrial works and urban decline, such as loss of jobs, impact on health, and the place of industrial ruins in the community's collective memory. The first part of the book presents case studies of Niagara Falls, Canada/US; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; and Ivanovo, Russia. The case studies draw on concepts and methods of spatial analysis and include archival documents and photos. The second part of the book explores themes of industrial ruination, such as reading landscapes of ruination and decline, and reinventing place. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Abandoned factories, shipyards, warehouses, and refineries are features of many industrialized cities around the world. But despite their state of decline, these derelict sites remain vitally connected with the urban landscapes that surround them. In this enlightening new book, Alice Mah explores the experiences of urban decline and post-industrial change in three different community contexts: Niagara Falls, Canada/USA; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; and Ivanovo, Russia.
Employing a unique methodological approach that combines ethnographic, spatial, and documentary methods, Mah draws on international comparisons of the landscapes and legacies of industrial ruination over the past forty years. Through this, she foregrounds the complex challenges of living with prolonged uncertainty and deprivation amidst socioeconomic change. This rich comparative study makes an essential contribution to far-reaching debates about the decline of manufacturing, regeneration, and identity, and will have important implications for urban theory and policy.
This rich comparative study makes an essential contribution to far-reaching debates about the decline of manufacturing, regeneration, and identity, and will have important implications for urban theory and policy.
