Urban Space and Exclusion in Asia

Abstract

The much-vaunted growth of cities across Asia has been accompanied by new forms of urban exclusion. This article reviews recent research into urban space and exclusion in Asia, focusing on anthropology as well as on key works in cognate fields such as geography, political science, sociology, and urban studies. The review of the literature suggests that spatial exclusions in Asian cities are perpetuated by numerous different modes, some overt and intentional, others tacit and unintentional, and that inclusion and exclusion are often entangled with each other. Six representative modes of exclusion are outlined: paperwork, money, violence, environment, space, and civility. Essential scholarship about each mode of exclusion is introduced, and it is suggested that the best scholarly work on urban exclusion investigates the overlaps and intersections of modes such as these.