ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the lived experience of place and displacement, and explores these phenomena in relation to several forms of place change prevalent in Western, postindustrial cities. While many quantitative studies of demographic trends show mixed results regarding gentrification and displacement, qualitative analyses based on residents’ experiences consistently reveal few benefits and significant disruptions among certain communities. A large literature has been amassed over the years, particularly around gentrification, that documents urban neighborhood change resulting from political and economic programs and policies that result in the physical displacement of urban poor. Displacement from natural disasters is an increasing threat for urban dwellers worldwide. Although both wealthy and impoverished communities can be vulnerable to disaster-induced displacement, low-income communities and communities of color tend to be more vulnerable because of limited community resources, lower quality housing, and slower emergency response rates.
