The Politics of Space: Gentrification and Class Transformation in Ghana

Keywords: Rent-gap, Policies, SAPs, Gentrification, Private Investments.
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Urban space has been a field of contestation for economic survival and the production of space, leading to class transformation and uneven development. Cities in the Global South, particularly in Ghana, have experienced significant transformations of urban spaces through urban renewal and redevelopment projects. The continuous displacement of lower-income groups from city centers to the suburbs exacerbates stark contrasts between affluent and deprived neighborhoods, a phenomenon known as gentrification. Looking beyond the Anglo-American perspective of gentrification through middle-class displacement, this paper investigates large-scale private development projects labeled as “renewal” or “redevelopment,” which further displace the urban commons, exemplifying gentrification. By adopting a mixed-method approach, this study reviews urban development policies in Ghana and analyzes the capitalized ground rent of existing structures to illustrate how neoliberal policies, such as Structural Adjustment Programs, intensify reinvestment in private-led property development in city centers, thereby widening the rent gap and displacing lower-income settlements. This approach provides insights into the processes that appropriate the capitalized ground rent of existing structures to achieve their “potential” through the highest and best use. This research is crucial as it will enhance our understanding of the underlying structures that drive the urban commons away from the city, as the government seeks to promote economic opportunities for upper-income investors and developers, thereby perpetuating gentrification.