The consolidation of a neoliberal urban imaginary: the case of Porto Alegre

Abstract

The 20th century saw the beginning of a process of space-time and financial-informational reorganization, which tended to focus on the infrastructure of urban centers and their conditions of articulation with global capital. This process influenced a series of neoliberalizing policies often justified by the "there is no alternative" discourse: modernization is necessary, and social reproduction (economic and urban) would depend on fiscal adjustments oriented towards the interests of the market. In the 21st century, however, with the continued institutionalization and naturalization of neoliberalism, we argue that a process of formation of a new social imaginary begins. This would make possible the reframing neoliberal policies in an optimistic, or at least neutral, vision, in which these policies appear as the fulfillment of a prophecy of modernity, configuring an 'ought to be' for the urban. The aim of this research is to explore these changes in the urban imaginary through a theoretical investigation, using the city of Porto Alegre as an instrumental case study. To this end, we mainly consider the master plans of the last 20 years, as well as other relevant urban configuration policies, and articulations of academia and public authorities.