ABSTRACT
Jo'burg's development is overdetermined by urban policy that is based upon the ideology of neoliberal capitalism. The Jo'burg Growth and Development Strategy 2040 which was adopted in 2011 under the African National Congress government elucidates a long-term vision for the city's development and is described on the City of Johannesburg website. This chapter presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses specifically on Johannesburg but it resonates globally with many cities and metropolitan regions because 'the kind of city most of us inhabit is 'the capitalist city'. It explores how relatively privileged Norwood residents feel about high-density housing being introduced into their posh neighbourhood. The book analyses what happens when middle-class hipsters annexe the inner city, part of the global trend of hipster-led gentrification. It also explores the ways to overturn architectural oppression which formed part of the 'everyday atrocities of apartheid.'
