ABSTRACT
The changing representations of Detroit found in this case study sum up many themes of this chapter. It shows how what was once a highly successful industrial city is now struggling to reconstruct and rebrand itself. Each phase described – the initial boosterism of the place promoters, the appearance of deep-seated social and economic problems that severely damaged the city’s image and reputation, and the attempts to re-imagine the city – were not just characteristics of Detroit. Rather they resonate with the wider arguments that we have analysed in this chapter about the significance of values in representing the urban environment.
