This dissertation employs a Gramscian framework as an alternative approach to understand the utilization of neoliberal community-based development—which advocates free-market schemes to development, and a refocus from institutional and structural causes of poverty to endogenous community forces (social capital and community capacity building)—by low-income residents in hyper-abandoned and disinvested urban neighborhoods. Using a case study of resident-led neighborhood development in the low-income neighborhood of Brightmoor in Detroit, Michigan, I show how “everyday discourse” of urban decline in Detroit and the possible rehabilitation of the city shape the “common sense” understanding of the “problem-and-solution equation” associated with the process of neighborhood development. In doing so, I show how neoliberal interpretations of neighborhood development by residents can produce spaces of exclusion. Specifically, this study demonstrates the way in which resident-led urban agriculture, functioning through a “neoliberal ethic” of development, can trigger the process of eco-gentrification, causing the displacement of the most economically vulnerable residents in the neighborhood. Using this framework, I discuss the role of the hegemony of capitalism in: 1) shaping the possibilities of neighborhood change for poor communities and 2) establishing and legitimizing neoliberal restructuring strategies as a new mode of urban crisis management.
","abstract_html":"<p>This dissertation employs a Gramscian framework as an alternative approach to understand the utilization of neoliberal community-based development—which advocates free-market schemes to development, and a refocus from institutional and structural causes of poverty to endogenous community forces (social capital and community capacity building)—by low-income residents in hyper-abandoned and disinvested urban neighborhoods. Using a case study of resident-led neighborhood development in the low-income neighborhood of Brightmoor in Detroit, Michigan, I show how “everyday discourse” of urban decline in Detroit and the possible rehabilitation of the city shape the “common sense” understanding of the “problem-and-solution equation” associated with the process of neighborhood development. In doing so, I show how neoliberal interpretations of neighborhood development by residents can produce spaces of exclusion. Specifically, this study demonstrates the way in which resident-led urban agriculture, functioning through a “neoliberal ethic” of development, can trigger the process of eco-gentrification, causing the displacement of the most economically vulnerable residents in the neighborhood. Using this framework, I discuss the role of the hegemony of capitalism in: 1) shaping the possibilities of neighborhood change for poor communities and 2) establishing and legitimizing neoliberal restructuring strategies as a new mode of urban crisis management.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Pride, Theodore"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Open Access Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Sociology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["David Fasenfest"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:00:26Z","subjects":["community development","eco-gentrification","hegemony","neoliberalism","political economy","Sociology","Urban Studies and Planning"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1475","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["David Fasenfest"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Pride, Theodore"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Sociology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["community development","eco-gentrification","hegemony","neoliberalism","political economy","Sociology","Urban Studies and Planning"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1475"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation employs a Gramscian framework as an alternative approach to understand the utilization of neoliberal community-based development—which advocates free-market schemes to development, and a refocus from institutional and structural causes of poverty to endogenous community forces (social capital and community capacity building)—by low-income residents in hyper-abandoned and disinvested urban neighborhoods. Using a case study of resident-led neighborhood development in the low-income neighborhood of Brightmoor in Detroit, Michigan, I show how “everyday discourse” of urban decline in Detroit and the possible rehabilitation of the city shape the “common sense” understanding of the “problem-and-solution equation” associated with the process of neighborhood development. In doing so, I show how neoliberal interpretations of neighborhood development by residents can produce spaces of exclusion. Specifically, this study demonstrates the way in which resident-led urban agriculture, functioning through a “neoliberal ethic” of development, can trigger the process of eco-gentrification, causing the displacement of the most economically vulnerable residents in the neighborhood. Using this framework, I discuss the role of the hegemony of capitalism in: 1) shaping the possibilities of neighborhood change for poor communities and 2) establishing and legitimizing neoliberal restructuring strategies as a new mode of urban crisis management.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Resident-Led Urban Agriculture And The Hegemony Of Neoliberal Community Development: Eco-Gentrification In A Detroit Neighborhood"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["David Fasenfest"],"dc:creator":["Pride, Theodore"],"dc:date.available":["2016-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This dissertation employs a Gramscian framework as an alternative approach to understand the utilization of neoliberal community-based development—which advocates free-market schemes to development, and a refocus from institutional and structural causes of poverty to endogenous community forces (social capital and community capacity building)—by low-income residents in hyper-abandoned and disinvested urban neighborhoods. Using a case study of resident-led neighborhood development in the low-income neighborhood of Brightmoor in Detroit, Michigan, I show how “everyday discourse” of urban decline in Detroit and the possible rehabilitation of the city shape the “common sense” understanding of the “problem-and-solution equation” associated with the process of neighborhood development. In doing so, I show how neoliberal interpretations of neighborhood development by residents can produce spaces of exclusion. Specifically, this study demonstrates the way in which resident-led urban agriculture, functioning through a “neoliberal ethic” of development, can trigger the process of eco-gentrification, causing the displacement of the most economically vulnerable residents in the neighborhood. Using this framework, I discuss the role of the hegemony of capitalism in: 1) shaping the possibilities of neighborhood change for poor communities and 2) establishing and legitimizing neoliberal restructuring strategies as a new mode of urban crisis management.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1475"],"dc:subject":["community development","eco-gentrification","hegemony","neoliberalism","political economy","Sociology","Urban Studies and Planning"],"dc:title":["Resident-Led Urban Agriculture And The Hegemony Of Neoliberal Community Development: Eco-Gentrification In A Detroit Neighborhood"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Sociology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:00:26Z"}