Necropolítica de vivienda: 40 años desmantelando la “informalidad” en Madrid (1979-2019)

Abstract

In a context in which access to housing has been increasingly commodified and financialized, “informality” becomes the only alternative–however precarious this may be–for those who have been excluded from the “formal” system. Since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2008, this phenomenon is reappearing in Europe, attracting more and more interest. In this article, we review the concept of “informality”, and analyze the policies implemented in the Community of Madrid (Spain) in relation to the self-produced settlements in the last 40 years (1979-2019). The results show how all policies have aimed at the eradication of any form of self-production of space. However, the implemented plans have varied depending on the value that the affected communities had for the established power, forcing the disappearance of those that do not enter into the forms of production and consumption of the capitalist system (necro-policy).