Urban Renewal in Vienna. Caught Between Social Democratic and Neoliberal Values
Vienna’s planning culture, lovingly dubbed »The Viennese way«, builds on the legacy of interwar social democracy, as can most notably be observed in the domain of housing. A central element of contemporary planning policies through which the municipality seeks to distinguish itself are its policies of »soft urban renewal«. This policy bundle, initially defined in the 1970s with the goal of allowing for housing upgrading without displacing residents, continues to aim at enhancing the quality of life for locals today. But despite local efforts of planning a city of affordable housing for all and international recognition thereof, Viennese governance mirrors liberal patterns that, following a global trend, ultimately lead to rising property values and housing commercialization. This project unravels the central contradiction of, on the one hand, policymakers committed to social-democratic values and, on the other hand, the reproduction of (neo-)liberal politics.
Catherine Raya Polishchuk is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna. She was an ÖAW Doc Fellow (2020–24) and a visiting research student at the London School of Economics (2022–23). She holds degrees from the University of Zurich and the Graduate Institute Geneva (IHEID). In 2023, she was awarded the Theodor Körner Prize. Her current research examines urban renewal in Vienna, with a focus on policy-making, citizen participation, city branding, and the tensions between social-democratic values and economic imperatives in urban transformation.
Barely anyone living in Vienna remains unfamiliar with the narrative that the city affords a comfortable lifestyle. Public transportation, cleanliness, and medical care are said to contribute to that liveable life one allegedly has in Vienna.