The Past And Future Of Gentrification

Exploring the origins of both the term and the concept, Prof. Chris Hamnett explores how the equally loved and hated trend has "remade the social structure of the post-industrial city."

1 minute read

July 11, 2004, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jeffrey Goodman


First noted in the late 1950s, 'gentrification' as a term can trace its origins back to urban sociologist Ruth Glass, who mockingly described London's new gentry class. Since then, most of the great cities have seen urban colonization, from New York to Sydney and now to Eastern Europe. But gentrification is as misunderstood as it is pervasive; the economic argument, that the housing is cheap and convenient, masks the larger implications of an emerging post-modern society.

Thanks to Jeffrey Goodman

Friday, July 9, 2004 in The Financial Times

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