City, Culture and Society最新文献

{"title":"Culture, consumption, and the aesthetic homogenization of independent coffee shops in the United States and Canada","authors":"Kelly Gregg ,&nbsp;Jeffrey Nathaniel Parker ,&nbsp;Conrad Kickert ,&nbsp;Ian Trivers","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Independent coffee shops are often associated with local community culture and authenticity. Yet these shops often seem to contain highly similar aesthetic elements, which aim to appeal to a specific clientele. This research probes the interior design aesthetics of independent, so-called ‘third wave’ coffee shops in the United States and Canada, questioning how unique they actually are, and whether their repeated use and homogenization may make these coffee shops less uniquely identifiable and locally rooted. Based on the results of two online surveys, we demonstrate that the majority of third-wave coffee shops presents a homogeneous and narrow range of aesthetic elements in their interior design, which make them hard to distinguish and to localize. These choices in effect become a <em>de facto</em> brand that is not necessarily reflective of the local culture or geography, but rather of the expectations and aspirations of their consumers. This commodification of aesthetics may counteract the original and oft-advertised mission of third-wave coffee shops to be unique, local, and authentic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100692"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leveraging global production networks for local economic development: Insights from the fashion industry in Bilbao's creative and cultural sectors","authors":"Montserrat Pareja-Eastaway ,&nbsp;Marc Pradel i Miquel","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100693","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100693"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cultural policy and urban cultural infrastructure beyond the creative city","authors":"Abigail Gilmore ,&nbsp;Dr Lauren England ,&nbsp;Thuy Tran Dr ,&nbsp;Dr Claire Burnill-Maier","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100689","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100689","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This special issue showcases interdisciplinary research on the changing conditions, policies and practices of urban cultural infrastructure, offering new insights into the relationship between art, culture, policy and urban development. The collection of research articles offers empirical consideration and theoretical reflection on what might be considered an ‘infrastructural turn’ within urban and cultural policy studies that challenges previously established ideal types of urban strategies which target cultural consumption and production for value extraction. Together, they represent an attempt to move beyond the ‘creative city’ strategies that dominate this area of research but offer only vague and sometimes contradictory narratives. We aim to offer a basis for alternative discussions that are inclusive and critically sensitive to the divergence of spatial, political and economic contexts and practices within governance, statecraft and urban entrepreneurialism, to explore opportunities offered through heterodox approaches which capture the multiple narratives of urban development across global North and South.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100689"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The ambient office: Remote work and the post-digital downtown","authors":"Erika Polson","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In many United States cities, a rise in remote work is blamed for an ‘office apocalypse,’ with dire news reports claiming downtown districts are in a ‘death spiral.’ As a reaction to the normalization of digitalized remote work, many cities are responding to the spatial consequences of digital mobilities by trying to make themselves more attractive to new publics. Although this includes plans to convert offices to apartments, for the most part planners continue to view the office as a fixed location that will become more attractive if people live near it. This paper suggests cities should recognize how knowledge workers touristify the workday, seeking to blend work and leisure across urban space. Based on reviews of scholarship and market reports about central office districts and remote work, theories of branding and atmospheres, and a ‘scenario’ developed through interviews with planners from multiple cities alongside observations of remote work in Denver, Colorado, the article suggests the office maintains a significant role in downtowns in its post-digital—its <em>ambient</em>—form.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100673"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intermediating policy affordances in creative clusters: the Boost initiative","authors":"Kate Pullinger ,&nbsp;Stacey Pottinger ,&nbsp;Tarek E. Virani","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since 2012 UK policy surrounding regional development has increasingly prioritised the development of creative clusters to support and bolster the country's creative economy. The Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP) is one such example of the current models of support being enacted through this policy and is mainly delivered by universities who act as intermediaries between the creative sector and government. The primary mechanism of support involves micro-funding initiatives aimed at supporting creative small, micro and medium-sized enterprises (SMME) within a given, usually medium to short, timeframe. However, as the sector is largely composed of micro-enterprises and freelancers, ongoing instability due to these types of funding cycles often leave organisations vulnerable once support ends resulting in a need to either ameliorate the impacts of these types of policies or holistically rethink these types of policy models. This paper examines the BSU Boost initiative (formerly Counting House), developed at Bath Spa University (BSU), as a case study of a ‘policy instrument affordance’ within the UK's creative cluster policy environment. Drawing on Hellström and Jacob's (2017) theoretical framework of policy instrument affordances, this paper argues that Boost operates as an intermediary mechanism that bridges critical gaps in public funding cycles. It offers new possibilities—or affordances—for creative micro-enterprises by enabling them to access grants that would otherwise be out of reach due to pre-financing requirements. Through a reflexive case study methodology, the paper details how these affordances do not emerge from the policy instrument alone but rely on active intermediation by the university. Acting as an intermediary, BSU translates complex policy into practical support through Boost, but faces challenges like administrative friction and sustainability concerns. This case highlights the importance—and limitations—of university-led intermediation in making policy affordances real for creative clusters. Accordingly, this initiative serves as an illustrative case of alternative mechanisms for addressing the limitations inherent in short-to medium-term policy frameworks designed to support creative clusters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100695"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Between local heritage and global aesthetics: Bourdieusian perspectives on Tehran's cafés","authors":"Naimeh Rezaei ,&nbsp;Emma Felton","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100688","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article explores the recent proliferation of cafés in central Tehran. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of <em>field</em>, <em>habitus</em>, and <em>cultural capital</em>, in dialogue with theories of <em>glocalization</em> and <em>cultural hybridization</em>, the study analyzes how these cafés function not merely as consumption venues but as hybrid cultural fields. Based on ethnographic fieldwork—including interviews, observations, and visual analysis of 18 cafés—the research reveals that these spaces enable middle- and upper-middle-class youth to perform social distinction through hybrid tastes and symbolic practices that blend local heritage with global aesthetics. While established in repurposed historic buildings, these cafés incorporate digital tools, cosmopolitan design, and layered sensory experiences, allowing patrons to express aspirational cosmopolitanism without rejecting Iranian cultural codes. The study contributes to the literature by extending Bourdieu's nationally grounded theory to global urban contexts, introducing the concept of <em>glocal cultural capital</em>, and theorizing cafés as key infrastructures of hybrid cultural production and symbolic urban change. Ultimately, it argues that trendy cafés in Tehran are not ideologically neutral spaces, but socially selective fields where modernity, refinement, and cultural belonging are continually negotiated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100688"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The touristification of work: Coworking spaces and digital nomads in Barcelona","authors":"José Ignacio Sánchez-Vergara ,&nbsp;Marko Orel","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100687","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100687"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transforming cultural urban regeneration: Roles of multiple stakeholders in Macau, China","authors":"Josephine Hio Ian Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2026.100690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines Macau as a case study for the transformation of cultural urban regeneration. Macau's commitment to preserving its Portuguese colonial heritage aligns with a cultural policy supporting urban regeneration for economic diversification. Through interviews, observations, and literature reviews, the study addresses research questions regarding changing roles of stakeholders, evolution of governance, and influence of the governance system on the outcomes of regeneration projects. Two prime examples are explored: St Lazarus neighbourhood, which has retained its colonial architectural heritage, and Taipa Village, which has transitioned into a vibrant lifestyle district. These areas have transformed into creative hubs where arts and culture are central in driving urban regeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100690"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neo-artisans ‘Out of Town’: Motivations and contradictions in non-urban neo-craft work","authors":"Marta Tonetta,&nbsp;Alessandro Gandini","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Calls to ‘disconnect from work’ have become increasingly prominent in recent years. Within this framework, neo-craft occupations emerged as an attractive option for workers in search of meaningful work. While these have been primarily investigated as an urban phenomenon, less is known about neo-craft activities located outside the city and in non-urban settings. Based on large-scale qualitative research in the European Union, this article illustrates the motivations and contradictions that underpin the mobility and work trajectories of a set of neo-artisans who have decided to live and work away from large international cities. We show that, for them, spatial dislocations and mobility strategies are part of the same ‘good life’ project, and argue that neo-craft work should be seen as an example of ‘disconnection from work’ with a spatial component that is symptomatic of a cultural shift in the way work and its meaning are collectively imagined. Crucially, however, this is shaped by conditions of privilege and possibility, which do not merely affect individual choices but fundamentally distinguish those who can afford to undertake this lifestyle change from those who cannot.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100686"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social infrastructure in diverse and unequal cities: Examining Civic Management facilities in Barcelona","authors":"Marina Pera","doi":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ccs.2025.100666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article offers a nuanced exploration of the notion of social infrastructure and its capacity to foster encounters and strengthen social ties in urban contexts. Focusing on Civic Management Facilities in Barcelona—municipally owned and funded spaces managed by local non-profit associations that offer cultural, youth, and leisure activities accessible to all residents—this study examines their potential as central neighbourhood hubs. It addresses the gap in understanding how these facilities enable spaces of encounter in contexts characterised by social fragmentation, inequality, and diversity. Employing a mixed-methods case study approach, the findings reveal how social inequalities and power dynamics shape the use of Civic Management Facilities, often resulting in the underrepresentation of neighbourhood diversity. The study underscores the importance of agency in enhancing inclusive participation by vulnerable groups within social infrastructures. Facility managers, through sustained efforts, implement mechanisms to promote user diversity and cultivate public familiarity—understood as the recognition of the facility and unfamiliar individuals as integral parts of the community. By analysing the relational dimension of social infrastructure, this research provides a deeper understanding of how these spaces can promote encounters and inclusion in urban settings marked by inequality and socio-cultural diversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":39061,"journal":{"name":"City, Culture and Society","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100666"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145267251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}