Seeking (desperately) for gentrification? Population change, immigration and economic recovery in a Mediterranean city

Urban dynamics in European Mediterranean countries reflect a mosaic of responses to different economic impulses. Suspended between suburbanisation and reurbanisation, socio-economic development in Southern Europe outlines a possible 'Mediterranean' path to gentrification that deserves further investigation. By considering together population, housing, business dynamics and specific aspects of life quality, we developed a quali-quantitative analysis of urban dynamics and gentrification processes in postcrisis Athens, Greece. The political side of gentrification, informal planning and the difficulty to stabilise a nexus with inner city rehabilitation accounts for the heterogeneous outcomes of urban transformations in Southern Europe. In such contexts, inner city gentrification was interpreted as an informal process consolidating a social mix similar to the most advanced cities in Western Europe. Our study delineates a Mediterranean perspective to inner city gentrification, reconnecting these processes with more general socio-economic conditions, and demonstrates the intrinsic advantage of quali-quantitative assessments of gentrification patterns and processes in urban Europe. A refined knowledge of these processes-also in light of more recent urban crises (e.g., driven by the pandemic challenge)-finally provides an interpretative key for a better management of inner city gentrification, not only in advanced economies but also in emerging (or peripheral) contexts.

Automated summary

Urban dynamics in European Mediterranean countries reflect various responses to different economic impulses. The study highlights the importance of qualitative and quantitative assessments of gentrification patterns and processes in European cities, emphasizing the consolidation of social mix through informal processes of inner city gentrification.