Urban Colonialism

Urban colonialism refers to the historical or ongoing process where cities, often in formerly colonized regions, become centers of economic, political, and social dominance by external or internal power structures. This can involve prioritizing certain neighborhoods or groups while marginalizing others, exploiting resources or labor, and shaping urban spaces to serve specific interests—similar to traditional colonial practices but within urban environments. It reflects how urban development and planning can reinforce inequality, control, and cultural imposition, often rooted in historical patterns of domination and inequality that persist in modern cityscapes.