(Re)searching Gothenburg: Essays on a changing city

Equipped with one of Europe's biggest ports,

Gothenburg rapidly became a leading industrial

city. Today, after the shutdown of the shipyards

and with the car industry in the midst of a

crisis, Gothenburg is the Swedish city where the

transi [...]
Visa längre beskrivning

Equipped with one of Europe's biggest ports,

Gothenburg rapidly became a leading industrial

city. Today, after the shutdown of the shipyards

and with the car industry in the midst of a

crisis, Gothenburg is the Swedish city where the

transition to a postindustrial condition is most

evident. Should this transformation primarily be

understood through the local history of

Gothenburg, or in relation to a more general

global development? Could one even deal with

worldwide urban changes by researching Gothenburg?

(Re)searching Gothenburg is an ambitious attempt

to bridge the gap between academic urban research

and the public debate on urban transformation.

Scholars from a number of disciplines were

invited to write a text that would not require

previous knowledge of Gothenburg, but at the same

time would offer native Gothenburgers new

perspectives on their city. The result is not

only a nuanced representation of a city in

transition, but also a more wide-ranging

discussion of modern and postmodern public space

and urbanity. In 37 comprehensible and initiated

texts the gentrification of city space, the

city's colonial past, the mythical "Gothenburg

spirit", homosexual meeting points, the fire

catastrophe on Hisingen, the riots during the

EU-summit meeting and a lot more is discussed.

Never before has post-industrial Gothenburg been

exposed to such a many-sided survey.

Authors:

Minoo Alinia, Mattias Andersson, Åsa Andersson, Ulla Björnberg, Barbara Czarniawska, Daniel Enstedt, Gunnar Falkemark, Joakim Forsemalm, Mats Franzén, Bengt Furåker, Olle Hagman, Cecilia Hansen Löfstrand, Nils Hammarén, Helena Holgersson, Sten O Karlsson, Michael Landzelius, Göran Larsson, Martin Letell, Mikela Lundahl, Ingrid Martins Holmberg, Arne Nilsson, Gabriella Olshammar, Abby Peterson, Martin Peterson, Klas Rönnbäck, Ingrid Sahlin, Åke Sander , Ove Sernhede, Tiiu Soidre, Anne-Lie Steen, Catharina Thörn, Håkan Thörn, Sara Uhnoo, Ronaldo Vázquez, Mattias Wahlström, Cathrin Wasshede, Mats Widigson