Gergely Olt | ELTE TáTK (original) (raw)

Papers by Gergely Olt

Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie

In post‐socialist Budapest, gentrification has remained modest for decades after the regime chang... more In post‐socialist Budapest, gentrification has remained modest for decades after the regime change (1989) due to politically controlled economic relations besides marketisation. Political control was transformed but maintained after 2010 in the illiberal Orbán regime. Populist housing privatisation for tenants, insufficient regulation of rental housing, mortgage policy and urban rehabilitations with systemic corruption caused moderate level of housing market commodification. However, gentrification accelerated from 2014. Among other factors, the restriction of mortgage lending and the unplanned expansion of tourism increased the commodification of real estate market. Similar contextual issues were mentioned in the gentrification literature before; however, they remained external modifying effects of the assumed nomothetic political economic mechanisms behind rent gaps under neoliberal governance assumed everywhere. We suggest connecting institutional, social and political factors wi...

Problemy Rozwoju Miast, Apr 9, 2020

The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification... more The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification of the post-socialist city of Budapest. Although disinvestment was present, reinvestment was moderate for decades after 1989. Privatisation of individual tenancies and the consequent fragmented ownership structure of heritage buildings made refurbishment and reinvestment less profitable. Because of local contextual factors and global changes in consumption habits, the function of the dilapidated 19th century housing stock transformed in the 2000s, and the residential neighbourhood which was the subject of the research turned into the so called 'party district'. The process was followed in our ongoing field research. The functional change made possible speculative investment in inner city housing and played a major role in the commodification of the disinvested housing stock.

Routledge eBooks, Feb 17, 2021

The phenomenon of "overtourism" in cities is hardly a new one, however the process and nature of ... more The phenomenon of "overtourism" in cities is hardly a new one, however the process and nature of resistance has changed significantly in recent years. The work of Colomb and Novy [2017. Protest and Resistance in the Tourist City. London: Routledge] encapsulates the manifestations of resistance in numerous cities. They argue that many of the contestations surround tourism rather than being about tourism. This paper explores resident resistance in the Hungarian capital city Budapest. This includes the rejection of the Olympic bid in 2017 and protests surrounding a controversial new development project in the city park. An uncontrolled night-time economy has also adversely affected local resident quality of life. Questionnaire data collected from both local residents and tourists as well as an analysis of Facebook sites using Sentione software will be used to illustrate the key areas of discontent. The research attempts to demonstrate that tourism is often marginal rather than central to residents' discontent and resistance to developments.

International journal of tourism cities, Mar 4, 2019

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific refer... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific reference to the night-time economy (NTE) in Budapest, Hungary. Design/methodology/approach-The research took place between September and December 2017 in the so-called "party quarter" of Budapest-District VII. The chosen methods included mapping, observation, interviews and questionnaires with local residents, visitors and tourists. Findings-Partying opportunities are valued highly by tourists and the majority of customers in the bars are tourists. Many people feel that there are too many tourists in the area, although few had a bad experience with tourists. The most common complaints were the dirt and litter, public urination, street crime and noise. Most respondents would welcome a better cleaning service, more bins, more police, more public toilets and better street lighting. Research limitations/implications-The research was not undertaken in the high season, older residents were slightly under-represented and wider research across the whole city would give a more balanced perspective. Practical implications-Recommendations are made for managing the NTE better in order to improve the experience of tourists and visitors and to improve the local resident quality of life. Social implications-It is hoped that this research may prompt local authorities to take local resident perceptions and experiences into account by creating better management measures and regulations. Originality/value-This is the first paper to provide data from the perspective of three main stakeholder groups in the context of the NTE in Budapest.

International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Jan 30, 2023

Debates about the most widely used theory of gentrification-the rent gap theory-and the universal... more Debates about the most widely used theory of gentrification-the rent gap theory-and the universally adopted metaphor of the seesaw of capital that lies at its core have grown ever louder over the last decade as gentrification research has gone truly global. This includes both generalized debates around theoretical inconsistencies concerning the role of stigmatization, for example, or continuous investment in high-status areas, as well as contextual ones, such as the historical irrelevance of disinvestmentreinvestment cycles between the city centre and the suburbs, or the limited importance of private rental housing and market processes. Within these debates, however, the majority of critics provide only idiosyncratic explanations for such peculiarities or the lack of local gentrification, while others fail to acknowledge the theoretical importance of these issues due to the high ideological stakes which underlie the disinvestment-reinvestment narrative. Consequently, the debate's theoretical progress has been hesitant at best, while the language used is usually heated and occasionally tips over into abuse.

A tanulmány a K 84051 számú OTKA kutatás "Új trendek a szuburbanizációs folyamatokban" keretében ... more A tanulmány a K 84051 számú OTKA kutatás "Új trendek a szuburbanizációs folyamatokban" keretében készült. A tanulmányban feldolgozott interjúkat 2008-2013 között készítettük. Az interjúzásban az ELTE TáTK hallgatói is részt vettek. A tanulmány korábbi változata megjelent (Átváltozóban, 2012).

Second International Conference of Young Urban Researchers, Jun 13, 2011

The transformation of the inner city society is influenced indirectly by new economic and social ... more The transformation of the inner city society is influenced indirectly by new economic and social trends, but also by direct public involvement of the local authority and the state, like urban rehabilitation and social housing policies. The indirect processes can be labelled as the new economy of the inner city (Hutton, 2004), when landscapes of urban decay are turned into fashionable urban milieus (Pratt, 2009). Embeddedness (Granovetter, 1985) of cultural and creative industries seems to be an important feature of this development, therefore some urban areas can become increasingly attractive for real estate investors, and end up in gentrification and displacement of the artistic communities as well (Zukin, 1987; Indergaard, 2009). Conflicts caused by gentrification like displacement and affordability crisis (Newman and Wyly, 2006) can be amplified by conflicts of different lifestyles (Eldridge, 2010). Expansion of higher education is also connected to these trends (Smith, 2005). Urban politics recognised these effects and integrated culture in rehabilitation processes, to reinvent the image of the city. Displacement induced by market forces is complemented by rehabilitation policies of local and central governments, like mixed income neighbourhoods in the UK (Lees, 2008; Manzi, et al., 2010) and in the Netherlands (Bolt and van Kempen, 2010). These policies received strong criticism, since displaced low status residents can end up in new segregated low status areas, producing a „splintering” urban landscape (Buzar et al., 2007). The authors examine these questions of western urban debates on the example of Budapest with careful attention to the effects of cultural and institutional features besides global structural explanations (Ribera-Fumaz, 2009). These features are for example: very high percentage of owner occupation, lack of the „new middleclass” (Ley, 1980), and characteristics of local governments. In our research area, urban politics and rehabilitation unwillingly assisted the emergence of a new cultural and hospitality quarter followed by creative and design shops. The neglected, run-down, empty housing stock became sites of intermediate use (Louekari, 2006). Later because of the global crisis and uncertainty of institutions (the mayor of the district is in custody for corruption charges) intermediate use emerged in privately owned buildings waiting for demolition. Cohesion among these enterprises is still weak but started to get stronger as local authority is trying to restrict their activities. Urban politics also assisted real estate development displacing the poorest residents in social housing. New dwellings are owned by higher status residents. Some social renters could stay in the area because of delays and problems of rehabilitation, but they have been living in uncertainty for long years. The population of the new dwellings is unstable and the flats are often used for tourism. Conflicts also emerge because of the externalities of new entertainment and hospitality venues. Noise, disturbance and changing milieu caused many debates in the inner city and it often comes up who belongs to this area, and who should move. Because of high level of owner occupation, population change can be very slow, while conflict management of the local authority and other institutions is not sufficient.

Routledge eBooks, Mar 30, 2021

The processes of gentrification and tourism are often inextricably linked, but their relationship... more The processes of gentrification and tourism are often inextricably linked, but their relationship is not unequivocal: tourists can be explorers of stigmatised areas before gentrification or touristification can expel middle-class gentrifiers. In the postsocialist context, tourism and foreign consumers play an extremely important role in the gentrification process. This is especially true in our case study area the 'party quarter' in District VII of Budapest. The authors explore the interrelationship between gentrification, tourism and the night-time economy in this area focusing on the effects of regulations and political struggles under post-socialist neo-patrimonial governance.

Urban planning, Jun 6, 2022

In Hungary, after the regime change in 1989, one of the most important institutional changes conc... more In Hungary, after the regime change in 1989, one of the most important institutional changes concerning suburbanisation was the high sovereignty of local authorities, albeit without appropriate funding for sovereign operation. This type of local sovereignty made mezzo-level planning and cooperation of independent municipalities ineffective. The inherent systemic political corruption of the rapid post-socialist privatisation hindered spontaneous cooperation as well. As a result, suburban infrastructure, even in municipalities with high-status residents, remained underdeveloped (from traffic connections through waste management to water provision). Our research field, Telki, was successful in selling land because its scenic location and the absence of industrial and commercial activities made it attractive for high-status suburban settlers. These newcomers were not interested in the further functional development of the village, and, as they took local political power, they successfully restricted economic and functional development. Consequently, selling land and introducing property taxes remained the most important source of income. The colonisation of the village by newcomers also meant the displacement of lower status original villagers and, today, mostly high-status families with young children feel at home in Telki. Others feel excluded not only because of real estate prices but also by the lack of appropriate functions or simply by the narrow concept of an appropriate lifestyle in the village defined by local power. The consequence of a complete lack of cooperation and rational planning is not only social injustice, elite segregation, and environmental harm, but also the reduced economic and housing potential of the Budapest agglomeration.

Socio.hu, 2016

A társadalmi integráció hiánya, illetve a dezintegráció jelei gyakran a térben is láthatóvá és le... more A társadalmi integráció hiánya, illetve a dezintegráció jelei gyakran a térben is láthatóvá és lehatárolhatóvá válnak. A "rossz" vagy "veszélyes" környékek, a gettósodó falvak és régiók azt a látszatot is kelthetik, mintha a társadalmi problémák csak az adott helyre lennének jellemzőek. Ezek a stigmatizált területek azonban elsősorban tünetei annak, hogy a társadalmi rendszer nem képes mindenkit egyformán integrálni, és a leginkább hátrányos helyzetű vagy diszkriminált tagjait a térben is kirekeszti. A térben is megjelenő problémákat aztán-főleg az utóbbi évtizedekben-elsősorban az adott területre koncentráló beavatkozásokkal próbálják orvosolni, amik a kiváltó okokat nem kezelik, a problémákat és a kirekesztett embereket pedig csak áthelyezik. Másrészt a kirekesztett területek lakói gyakran hátrányokat szenvednek el amiatt, hogy a lakóhelyükön az intézmények működése és a tág értelemben vett infrastruktúra nem kielégítő. Így a gazdasági fejlődés vagy az általános társadalmi programok sem éreztetik úgy a hatásukat, mint máshol. A tanulmány elsősorban a városi területi beavatkozások nemzetközi irodalmának egy részét tekinti át az integráció térbeli kérdései szempontjából.

Dans un contexte de mondialisation et d'urbanisation néo-libérale, les citadins ont souvent l... more Dans un contexte de mondialisation et d'urbanisation néo-libérale, les citadins ont souvent le sentiment d'avoir peu prise sur les décisions qui les concernent et touchent leur vie quotidienne. Cependant, loin d'être passifs ou anomiques, ils mettent en œuvre des stratégies — plus ou moins visibles, discrètes, éphémères — d'appropriation de l'espace, de défense territoriale, d'opposition ou de contournement. Nous postulons que ces actes ordinaires émanant des « subalternes » peuvent être qualifiés de résistance dès lors qu'ils nient, négligent, adaptent ou contestent les règles du jeu introduites par les acteurs dominants. Ce numéro de Cultures & Conflits propose une analyse des résistances à partir de terrains et d’acteurs diversifiés mais qui ont en commun d’être situés aux marges de la ville et aux marges de la société. Ici, la ville n’est pas un arrière-plan des résistances : lieu de déploiement des conflits, elle est également l’enjeu des luttes. Enf...

The City as a Global Political Actor, 2018

A konyvfejezetben a varosi demokracia lehetőseget kritizaljuk budapesti esettanulmanyok segitsege... more A konyvfejezetben a varosi demokracia lehetőseget kritizaljuk budapesti esettanulmanyok segitsegevel. Ezekben bemutatjuk, hogy az orszagos politikai es tarsadalmi kontextusnak meghatarozo szerepe van a lokalis politika alakulasaban.

Urban Development Issues, 2020

The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification... more The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification of the post-socialist city of Budapest. Although disinvestment was present, reinvestment was moderate for decades after 1989. Privatisation of individual tenancies and the consequent fragmented ownership structure of heritage buildings made refurbishment and reinvestment less profitable. Because of local contextual factors and global changes in consumption habits, the function of the dilapidated 19th century housing stock transformed in the 2000s, and the residential neighbourhood which was the subject of the research turned into the so called ‘party district’. The process was followed in our ongoing field research. The functional change made possible speculative investment in inner city housing and played a major role in the commodification of the disinvested housing stock.

International Journal of Tourism Cities, 2019

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific refer... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific reference to the night-time economy (NTE) in Budapest, Hungary. Design/methodology/approach The research took place between September and December 2017 in the so-called “party quarter” of Budapest – District VII. The chosen methods included mapping, observation, interviews and questionnaires with local residents, visitors and tourists. Findings Partying opportunities are valued highly by tourists and the majority of customers in the bars are tourists. Many people feel that there are too many tourists in the area, although few had a bad experience with tourists. The most common complaints were the dirt and litter, public urination, street crime and noise. Most respondents would welcome a better cleaning service, more bins, more police, more public toilets and better street lighting. Research limitations/implications The research was not undertaken in the high season, older residents were sligh...

Tourism Geographies, 2017

ABSTRACT The relationship between urban planning and tourism consumption is presented through one... more ABSTRACT The relationship between urban planning and tourism consumption is presented through one of the most attractive and popular districts of Budapest (District VII). Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and has a population of 1.7 million inhabitants making it one of the largest metropolitan regions in Central Eastern Europe. Budapest is typical of many other post-socialist cities in that its urban development process has followed a somewhat different trajectory from many Western European cities until recently, for example the relatively slow rate of gentrification in the post-socialist years. The paper will focus in particular on one central district of the city (VII) which currently contains a high concentration of hospitality and entertainment facilities (especially ‘ruin pubs’) and attracts a large numbers of tourists. The planning and development history of the district will be explained, including many controversies and conflicts which have arisen over the years. In addition to analysing the significance of the areas’ heritage and the intensive growth of the creative industries, the paper will also provide a case study about the Budapest-specific ‘ruin bar’ phenomenon, as well as data on the global issue of Airbnb, which is becoming an extremely topical and controversial issue in many other cities in the world today. ‘Ruin bars’ and Airbnb represent local and global examples of tourism consumption which have flourished despite or even because of an unstructured, often unregulated urban planning system. Through this examination, two main questions are addressed: to what extent has planning (or a lack of it) influenced urban development and the new trends of international tourism in Budapest? and what role has tourism played in the transformation of a central district within the inner city?

Cultures & conflits, 2016

Marges urbaines et résistances citadines Demander réparation(s). À Budapest, les mobilisations co... more Marges urbaines et résistances citadines Demander réparation(s). À Budapest, les mobilisations collectives à l'épreuve de leur visibilité Demanding Compensation(s). Collective mobilizations testing their visibility in Budapest

Urbani izziv, 2010

In this article we try to draw an outline of the recent social processes in the inner city area o... more In this article we try to draw an outline of the recent social processes in the inner city area of Budapest focusing on social sustainability and gentrification. Our goal is to show the potential social conflicts emerging in this area. We examine the recent history of the housing market and the areas of gentrification in the inner city. In the second part of the article we show the trends and the possible long term effects of real estate investments in the research area. As a conclusion we state also that the events of gentrification in the inner city area of Budapest could warn us social displacement and social exclusion in the future.

Society and Economy, 2011

This article outlines recent social processes in central Budapest-Inner-Erzsébetváros, focusing o... more This article outlines recent social processes in central Budapest-Inner-Erzsébetváros, focusing on social sustainability and gentrification, and presents the potential social conflicts emerging in this area. We examine the recent history and trends and possible long-term effects of real-estate development in the research area. The article concludes that the gentrification events in central Budapest could be a warning signal of future social displacement and social exclusion.

Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie

In post‐socialist Budapest, gentrification has remained modest for decades after the regime chang... more In post‐socialist Budapest, gentrification has remained modest for decades after the regime change (1989) due to politically controlled economic relations besides marketisation. Political control was transformed but maintained after 2010 in the illiberal Orbán regime. Populist housing privatisation for tenants, insufficient regulation of rental housing, mortgage policy and urban rehabilitations with systemic corruption caused moderate level of housing market commodification. However, gentrification accelerated from 2014. Among other factors, the restriction of mortgage lending and the unplanned expansion of tourism increased the commodification of real estate market. Similar contextual issues were mentioned in the gentrification literature before; however, they remained external modifying effects of the assumed nomothetic political economic mechanisms behind rent gaps under neoliberal governance assumed everywhere. We suggest connecting institutional, social and political factors wi...

Problemy Rozwoju Miast, Apr 9, 2020

The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification... more The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification of the post-socialist city of Budapest. Although disinvestment was present, reinvestment was moderate for decades after 1989. Privatisation of individual tenancies and the consequent fragmented ownership structure of heritage buildings made refurbishment and reinvestment less profitable. Because of local contextual factors and global changes in consumption habits, the function of the dilapidated 19th century housing stock transformed in the 2000s, and the residential neighbourhood which was the subject of the research turned into the so called 'party district'. The process was followed in our ongoing field research. The functional change made possible speculative investment in inner city housing and played a major role in the commodification of the disinvested housing stock.

Routledge eBooks, Feb 17, 2021

The phenomenon of "overtourism" in cities is hardly a new one, however the process and nature of ... more The phenomenon of "overtourism" in cities is hardly a new one, however the process and nature of resistance has changed significantly in recent years. The work of Colomb and Novy [2017. Protest and Resistance in the Tourist City. London: Routledge] encapsulates the manifestations of resistance in numerous cities. They argue that many of the contestations surround tourism rather than being about tourism. This paper explores resident resistance in the Hungarian capital city Budapest. This includes the rejection of the Olympic bid in 2017 and protests surrounding a controversial new development project in the city park. An uncontrolled night-time economy has also adversely affected local resident quality of life. Questionnaire data collected from both local residents and tourists as well as an analysis of Facebook sites using Sentione software will be used to illustrate the key areas of discontent. The research attempts to demonstrate that tourism is often marginal rather than central to residents' discontent and resistance to developments.

International journal of tourism cities, Mar 4, 2019

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific refer... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific reference to the night-time economy (NTE) in Budapest, Hungary. Design/methodology/approach-The research took place between September and December 2017 in the so-called "party quarter" of Budapest-District VII. The chosen methods included mapping, observation, interviews and questionnaires with local residents, visitors and tourists. Findings-Partying opportunities are valued highly by tourists and the majority of customers in the bars are tourists. Many people feel that there are too many tourists in the area, although few had a bad experience with tourists. The most common complaints were the dirt and litter, public urination, street crime and noise. Most respondents would welcome a better cleaning service, more bins, more police, more public toilets and better street lighting. Research limitations/implications-The research was not undertaken in the high season, older residents were slightly under-represented and wider research across the whole city would give a more balanced perspective. Practical implications-Recommendations are made for managing the NTE better in order to improve the experience of tourists and visitors and to improve the local resident quality of life. Social implications-It is hoped that this research may prompt local authorities to take local resident perceptions and experiences into account by creating better management measures and regulations. Originality/value-This is the first paper to provide data from the perspective of three main stakeholder groups in the context of the NTE in Budapest.

International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Jan 30, 2023

Debates about the most widely used theory of gentrification-the rent gap theory-and the universal... more Debates about the most widely used theory of gentrification-the rent gap theory-and the universally adopted metaphor of the seesaw of capital that lies at its core have grown ever louder over the last decade as gentrification research has gone truly global. This includes both generalized debates around theoretical inconsistencies concerning the role of stigmatization, for example, or continuous investment in high-status areas, as well as contextual ones, such as the historical irrelevance of disinvestmentreinvestment cycles between the city centre and the suburbs, or the limited importance of private rental housing and market processes. Within these debates, however, the majority of critics provide only idiosyncratic explanations for such peculiarities or the lack of local gentrification, while others fail to acknowledge the theoretical importance of these issues due to the high ideological stakes which underlie the disinvestment-reinvestment narrative. Consequently, the debate's theoretical progress has been hesitant at best, while the language used is usually heated and occasionally tips over into abuse.

A tanulmány a K 84051 számú OTKA kutatás "Új trendek a szuburbanizációs folyamatokban" keretében ... more A tanulmány a K 84051 számú OTKA kutatás "Új trendek a szuburbanizációs folyamatokban" keretében készült. A tanulmányban feldolgozott interjúkat 2008-2013 között készítettük. Az interjúzásban az ELTE TáTK hallgatói is részt vettek. A tanulmány korábbi változata megjelent (Átváltozóban, 2012).

Second International Conference of Young Urban Researchers, Jun 13, 2011

The transformation of the inner city society is influenced indirectly by new economic and social ... more The transformation of the inner city society is influenced indirectly by new economic and social trends, but also by direct public involvement of the local authority and the state, like urban rehabilitation and social housing policies. The indirect processes can be labelled as the new economy of the inner city (Hutton, 2004), when landscapes of urban decay are turned into fashionable urban milieus (Pratt, 2009). Embeddedness (Granovetter, 1985) of cultural and creative industries seems to be an important feature of this development, therefore some urban areas can become increasingly attractive for real estate investors, and end up in gentrification and displacement of the artistic communities as well (Zukin, 1987; Indergaard, 2009). Conflicts caused by gentrification like displacement and affordability crisis (Newman and Wyly, 2006) can be amplified by conflicts of different lifestyles (Eldridge, 2010). Expansion of higher education is also connected to these trends (Smith, 2005). Urban politics recognised these effects and integrated culture in rehabilitation processes, to reinvent the image of the city. Displacement induced by market forces is complemented by rehabilitation policies of local and central governments, like mixed income neighbourhoods in the UK (Lees, 2008; Manzi, et al., 2010) and in the Netherlands (Bolt and van Kempen, 2010). These policies received strong criticism, since displaced low status residents can end up in new segregated low status areas, producing a „splintering” urban landscape (Buzar et al., 2007). The authors examine these questions of western urban debates on the example of Budapest with careful attention to the effects of cultural and institutional features besides global structural explanations (Ribera-Fumaz, 2009). These features are for example: very high percentage of owner occupation, lack of the „new middleclass” (Ley, 1980), and characteristics of local governments. In our research area, urban politics and rehabilitation unwillingly assisted the emergence of a new cultural and hospitality quarter followed by creative and design shops. The neglected, run-down, empty housing stock became sites of intermediate use (Louekari, 2006). Later because of the global crisis and uncertainty of institutions (the mayor of the district is in custody for corruption charges) intermediate use emerged in privately owned buildings waiting for demolition. Cohesion among these enterprises is still weak but started to get stronger as local authority is trying to restrict their activities. Urban politics also assisted real estate development displacing the poorest residents in social housing. New dwellings are owned by higher status residents. Some social renters could stay in the area because of delays and problems of rehabilitation, but they have been living in uncertainty for long years. The population of the new dwellings is unstable and the flats are often used for tourism. Conflicts also emerge because of the externalities of new entertainment and hospitality venues. Noise, disturbance and changing milieu caused many debates in the inner city and it often comes up who belongs to this area, and who should move. Because of high level of owner occupation, population change can be very slow, while conflict management of the local authority and other institutions is not sufficient.

Routledge eBooks, Mar 30, 2021

The processes of gentrification and tourism are often inextricably linked, but their relationship... more The processes of gentrification and tourism are often inextricably linked, but their relationship is not unequivocal: tourists can be explorers of stigmatised areas before gentrification or touristification can expel middle-class gentrifiers. In the postsocialist context, tourism and foreign consumers play an extremely important role in the gentrification process. This is especially true in our case study area the 'party quarter' in District VII of Budapest. The authors explore the interrelationship between gentrification, tourism and the night-time economy in this area focusing on the effects of regulations and political struggles under post-socialist neo-patrimonial governance.

Urban planning, Jun 6, 2022

In Hungary, after the regime change in 1989, one of the most important institutional changes conc... more In Hungary, after the regime change in 1989, one of the most important institutional changes concerning suburbanisation was the high sovereignty of local authorities, albeit without appropriate funding for sovereign operation. This type of local sovereignty made mezzo-level planning and cooperation of independent municipalities ineffective. The inherent systemic political corruption of the rapid post-socialist privatisation hindered spontaneous cooperation as well. As a result, suburban infrastructure, even in municipalities with high-status residents, remained underdeveloped (from traffic connections through waste management to water provision). Our research field, Telki, was successful in selling land because its scenic location and the absence of industrial and commercial activities made it attractive for high-status suburban settlers. These newcomers were not interested in the further functional development of the village, and, as they took local political power, they successfully restricted economic and functional development. Consequently, selling land and introducing property taxes remained the most important source of income. The colonisation of the village by newcomers also meant the displacement of lower status original villagers and, today, mostly high-status families with young children feel at home in Telki. Others feel excluded not only because of real estate prices but also by the lack of appropriate functions or simply by the narrow concept of an appropriate lifestyle in the village defined by local power. The consequence of a complete lack of cooperation and rational planning is not only social injustice, elite segregation, and environmental harm, but also the reduced economic and housing potential of the Budapest agglomeration.

Socio.hu, 2016

A társadalmi integráció hiánya, illetve a dezintegráció jelei gyakran a térben is láthatóvá és le... more A társadalmi integráció hiánya, illetve a dezintegráció jelei gyakran a térben is láthatóvá és lehatárolhatóvá válnak. A "rossz" vagy "veszélyes" környékek, a gettósodó falvak és régiók azt a látszatot is kelthetik, mintha a társadalmi problémák csak az adott helyre lennének jellemzőek. Ezek a stigmatizált területek azonban elsősorban tünetei annak, hogy a társadalmi rendszer nem képes mindenkit egyformán integrálni, és a leginkább hátrányos helyzetű vagy diszkriminált tagjait a térben is kirekeszti. A térben is megjelenő problémákat aztán-főleg az utóbbi évtizedekben-elsősorban az adott területre koncentráló beavatkozásokkal próbálják orvosolni, amik a kiváltó okokat nem kezelik, a problémákat és a kirekesztett embereket pedig csak áthelyezik. Másrészt a kirekesztett területek lakói gyakran hátrányokat szenvednek el amiatt, hogy a lakóhelyükön az intézmények működése és a tág értelemben vett infrastruktúra nem kielégítő. Így a gazdasági fejlődés vagy az általános társadalmi programok sem éreztetik úgy a hatásukat, mint máshol. A tanulmány elsősorban a városi területi beavatkozások nemzetközi irodalmának egy részét tekinti át az integráció térbeli kérdései szempontjából.

Dans un contexte de mondialisation et d'urbanisation néo-libérale, les citadins ont souvent l... more Dans un contexte de mondialisation et d'urbanisation néo-libérale, les citadins ont souvent le sentiment d'avoir peu prise sur les décisions qui les concernent et touchent leur vie quotidienne. Cependant, loin d'être passifs ou anomiques, ils mettent en œuvre des stratégies — plus ou moins visibles, discrètes, éphémères — d'appropriation de l'espace, de défense territoriale, d'opposition ou de contournement. Nous postulons que ces actes ordinaires émanant des « subalternes » peuvent être qualifiés de résistance dès lors qu'ils nient, négligent, adaptent ou contestent les règles du jeu introduites par les acteurs dominants. Ce numéro de Cultures & Conflits propose une analyse des résistances à partir de terrains et d’acteurs diversifiés mais qui ont en commun d’être situés aux marges de la ville et aux marges de la société. Ici, la ville n’est pas un arrière-plan des résistances : lieu de déploiement des conflits, elle est également l’enjeu des luttes. Enf...

The City as a Global Political Actor, 2018

A konyvfejezetben a varosi demokracia lehetőseget kritizaljuk budapesti esettanulmanyok segitsege... more A konyvfejezetben a varosi demokracia lehetőseget kritizaljuk budapesti esettanulmanyok segitsegevel. Ezekben bemutatjuk, hogy az orszagos politikai es tarsadalmi kontextusnak meghatarozo szerepe van a lokalis politika alakulasaban.

Urban Development Issues, 2020

The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification... more The growth of the tourism and hospitality industry played an important role in the gentrification of the post-socialist city of Budapest. Although disinvestment was present, reinvestment was moderate for decades after 1989. Privatisation of individual tenancies and the consequent fragmented ownership structure of heritage buildings made refurbishment and reinvestment less profitable. Because of local contextual factors and global changes in consumption habits, the function of the dilapidated 19th century housing stock transformed in the 2000s, and the residential neighbourhood which was the subject of the research turned into the so called ‘party district’. The process was followed in our ongoing field research. The functional change made possible speculative investment in inner city housing and played a major role in the commodification of the disinvested housing stock.

International Journal of Tourism Cities, 2019

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific refer... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of overtourism with specific reference to the night-time economy (NTE) in Budapest, Hungary. Design/methodology/approach The research took place between September and December 2017 in the so-called “party quarter” of Budapest – District VII. The chosen methods included mapping, observation, interviews and questionnaires with local residents, visitors and tourists. Findings Partying opportunities are valued highly by tourists and the majority of customers in the bars are tourists. Many people feel that there are too many tourists in the area, although few had a bad experience with tourists. The most common complaints were the dirt and litter, public urination, street crime and noise. Most respondents would welcome a better cleaning service, more bins, more police, more public toilets and better street lighting. Research limitations/implications The research was not undertaken in the high season, older residents were sligh...

Tourism Geographies, 2017

ABSTRACT The relationship between urban planning and tourism consumption is presented through one... more ABSTRACT The relationship between urban planning and tourism consumption is presented through one of the most attractive and popular districts of Budapest (District VII). Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and has a population of 1.7 million inhabitants making it one of the largest metropolitan regions in Central Eastern Europe. Budapest is typical of many other post-socialist cities in that its urban development process has followed a somewhat different trajectory from many Western European cities until recently, for example the relatively slow rate of gentrification in the post-socialist years. The paper will focus in particular on one central district of the city (VII) which currently contains a high concentration of hospitality and entertainment facilities (especially ‘ruin pubs’) and attracts a large numbers of tourists. The planning and development history of the district will be explained, including many controversies and conflicts which have arisen over the years. In addition to analysing the significance of the areas’ heritage and the intensive growth of the creative industries, the paper will also provide a case study about the Budapest-specific ‘ruin bar’ phenomenon, as well as data on the global issue of Airbnb, which is becoming an extremely topical and controversial issue in many other cities in the world today. ‘Ruin bars’ and Airbnb represent local and global examples of tourism consumption which have flourished despite or even because of an unstructured, often unregulated urban planning system. Through this examination, two main questions are addressed: to what extent has planning (or a lack of it) influenced urban development and the new trends of international tourism in Budapest? and what role has tourism played in the transformation of a central district within the inner city?

Cultures & conflits, 2016

Marges urbaines et résistances citadines Demander réparation(s). À Budapest, les mobilisations co... more Marges urbaines et résistances citadines Demander réparation(s). À Budapest, les mobilisations collectives à l'épreuve de leur visibilité Demanding Compensation(s). Collective mobilizations testing their visibility in Budapest

Urbani izziv, 2010

In this article we try to draw an outline of the recent social processes in the inner city area o... more In this article we try to draw an outline of the recent social processes in the inner city area of Budapest focusing on social sustainability and gentrification. Our goal is to show the potential social conflicts emerging in this area. We examine the recent history of the housing market and the areas of gentrification in the inner city. In the second part of the article we show the trends and the possible long term effects of real estate investments in the research area. As a conclusion we state also that the events of gentrification in the inner city area of Budapest could warn us social displacement and social exclusion in the future.

Society and Economy, 2011

This article outlines recent social processes in central Budapest-Inner-Erzsébetváros, focusing o... more This article outlines recent social processes in central Budapest-Inner-Erzsébetváros, focusing on social sustainability and gentrification, and presents the potential social conflicts emerging in this area. We examine the recent history and trends and possible long-term effects of real-estate development in the research area. The article concludes that the gentrification events in central Budapest could be a warning signal of future social displacement and social exclusion.