Construction of consent: Everyday life and spatial strategies of neoliberalism

Abstract

In this paper the authors analyze the neoliberalism through its spatial strategies in daily life. We assume that, despite the fact that it is impossible to find a consistent theoretical determination of neoliberalism and that there is no unique strategy of the application of neoliberal practices, hegemonic discourse of neoliberalism is articulated through the urban practices which in daily life are imposed as something ?natural?, as a ?normalizing? discourse - as hegemonic common sense. Furthermore, the authors provide evidence for the hypothesis that global presence of gentrification as a key spatial strategy of neoliberalism is a strategy for the renewal of the urban geography of class power as well as the presupposition for future class conflicts. Neoliberalism signifies radicalization of theoretical assumptions of classical liberalism and reproduction of them in everyday life, through the strategies and practices of established social relations. In conclusion, it is stated that this self-reproduction of neoliberalism has simultaneously influenced the erosion of class subjectiveness as well as other forms of traditional collective subjectivenesses and contributed to the possibility of the formation of new subjectivities of resistance.