ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to open the main 'black boxes' on which the current, mainstream notions of the 'creative city' rest—those modes of thought and knowledge production that 'no longer need to be reconsidered, those things whose contents have become a matter of indifference'. It argues that the creative city paradigm has in the past twenty years become a black-boxed signifier for both its proponents and adversaries. The creative city has become a meaningful sign in itself, apparently understood and unquestioned regarding some of its basic and structuring assumptions. This had led to a curious situation in which the central notion on which the creative city debate rests—namely, the idea that cities have creative agency—is no longer seriously questioned or examined. All share a strong believe in the value of historical approaches to contribute to and broaden urban theory and policy. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
