The so-called “Rust Belt” cities have become a favorite subject for city planners, architects, and business apologists.
This book examines the problem of economic decline in these former industrial and manufacturing towns, but not from the perspective of potential investors, business leaders, city
management, bureaucrats, or government officials. Instead, we concern
ourselves with the residents and citizens of these cities.
Rust City Renovation is organized around a
preference for liberty over jobs, and an “excessive” democratic
participation — co-evolution and collectivity outside the bounds of
easy governability, manipulation, and control.