Urban citizenship(s) in Lisbon: examining the case of Mouraria

Abstract

During the last couple of years it has been possible to witness the progressive commodification of Lisbon. The adoption of neoliberal strategies of urban development – oriented towards competitiveness and aimed at putting Lisbon at the forefront of the international metropolitan group – has contributed to the reshaping of its landscape. The organization of flagship events, privatization of public spaces and development of local policies oriented towards the promotion of creative industries, and the increasing relevance that various forms of tourism have assumed, illustrate well the path that has been followed. However, expressions of urban citizenship against this destructive trajectory have emerged, showing that the urban development of Lisbon is a contentious process and has to face multiple strategies of resistance. In this paper we look at three expressions of citizenship in Mouraria, a neighbourhood located in the historical centre of Lisbon, in which the tensions and contradictions between neoliberal urbanism and urban citizenship take place.

Keywords:

• Lisbon
• Mouraria
• neoliberal urbanism
• urban citizenship
• c.e.m – Centro em Movimento