« Occuper » dans un quartier gentrifié : expériences et mobilisations des habitants expulsés de Woodstock au Cap

Abstract

Through empirical and qualitative research, I explore how the occupation of the old hospital of Woodstock (Cape Town) by evicted residents transforms their experiences and practices within the neighbourhood. I hereby answer the following questions: in what sense does this occupation represent a space of resilience at the center of a gentrified neighbourhood? What are the strategies deployed by the inhabitants to live there as serenely as possible, preserving their personal routine while responding at the same time to the demands of the social movement that hosts them? I observe that the occupation fosters the reshaping of local solidarities and allows the inhabitants to revisit their social role. However, I also emphasize the ambivalence of this lodging place by highlighting that the constraints and social norms imposed on the inhabitants can be considered as an additional form of confinement in the urban space.

Keywords

• gentrification
• evictions
• occupation
• residents
• neighbourhood
• Cape Town