Spaces of the Poor

... with Hans-Christian Petersen

1. »Completely unnecessary!« – Why is that not true for your book?

Because the book opens new perspectives on poverty, and because poverty, precarisation and gentrificaton are not only historical processes, but also take place in the cities in which we live today.

2. Which new perspectives are opened through your book?

It challenges us to reconsider our familiar perceptions of poverty and the people who are affected by it. ›The poor‹ are not ›the others‹, but individuals who try to give their lives a meaning. The book raises the question which possibilities we have to do justice to these people instead of judging them blankly.

3. What's the book's possible impact on the current discourse on the topic it deals with?

The multidisciplinarity of this book is surely an advancement - scientists of different disciplines are brought together which provides an enlargement of perspectives. Furthermore the book does not only deal with examples of Western Europe, but at the same time with cities in Costa Rica, India and Russia. And all this is both historically sound and with reference to today's developments.

4. With which audience do you wish to discuss this book?

With everybody who is interested in getting into the topics. And with all those who fight against upgrading and displacement in the cities of today and/or are affected by it.

5. Your book in one sentence?

This is a book which is looking behind the facade of poverty and wants to encourage the reconsideration of present opinions.