URBAN STIGMAS

      Urban stigmas are ways in which people view and perceive cities, it plays in important part in determining the culture and tradition of that place and in turn leads to the reputation it earns. These stigmas can heavily impact the city, a negative one leading to urban and social isolation.

     In the book "Stigma Cities" by Jonathan Foster the author talks about how there are unsaid social structures and norms that cities are expected to follow, the moment a city breaks away from this framework of having a “right” structure we form certain stigmas against it. This in turn creates mental boundaries and stereotypes that isolate these cities. However, a predominant characteristic of these stigmas is its temporality, our attitudes change with time repulsing and attracting cities as per our conveinience. The media plays an important role in this too, giving us their perception and view of global incidents, but in the end it all comes down to the values, needs and the reputation we believe that city to have.

     Stigmas are sources of creating rifts between communities at different scales of neighbourhoods, localities, cities and countries. What breeds the stigmas are our superstitious beliefs, they not only impact our mindsets but physically manifest into our cities none the less. A few examples of places heavily stigmatised are listed below.

 

Las Vegas - "The Sin City"

Las Vegas carries the stigma of being the “Sin City” and is associated with vices such as prostitution, gambling and drugs or in a phrase of “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". It acts as a space that is visited it for a few days as an escape from the everyday routine, never as a place to reside in.

 Image - https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1097446

Dharavi - "The slum"

Dharavi is associated with the stigma of being unhygienic, crime ridden and a condition no one wants to live in, but in reality many of the residents enjoy their lifestyle, they work and earn a living through that and are an important part of the economy.

Image - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU8AnqSOih0

 

San Francisco - "The Gay Mecca"

San Francisco was known as the gay mecca, a hub for homosexuals, alienating the city from the rest of America. It soon became the land for LGBTQ protest and as it was successful in getting their gay rights the stigma associated with the city soon diluted. This highlights the temporality of the stigma.

Image - https://www.mid-day.com/articles/why-san-francisco-is-worlds-gay-mecca/20860181

 

Citation :

Stigma Cities by Jonathan Foster