THEORIES OF GENTRIFICATION: A STUDY ON THEIR APPLICATION IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Abstract

Based on the reflection raised by Roy (2009), concerning the need for perspectives that go beyond the Euro-American urban theoretical axis, we understand that there is an attempt to fit contexts of the Global South into dominant existing theories, which do not always address all the issues and needs of those areas appropriately. With this critique in mind, we propose an investigation about the phenomenon of gentrification to understand which definition would cover the urban diversity of the Global South, particularly, in Latin America. This article brings an analysis of the concept of gentrification and its changes over time since the term was first coined by Glass (1964), through the studies of Smith, Zukin, Clark, Lees, and Siqueira, among others. We pose questions about neoliberal contemporary urban dynamics related to this phenomenon in the so-called peripheral countries. Our goal is to understand how this process occurs and its particularities in Latin American contexts. In doing so, this article highlights contributions and limitations of gentrification theories established by studies from the Global North and identifies the most relevant definitions to understand and to cover the diversity of the phenomenon, also in urban Global South.