Urbanizing political concepts for analyzing politics in the city

How does theorizing of fundamental political concepts change when theoretical primacy is accorded to the social and institutional form of the city instead of the state? Given the changing and increasingly central role that cities play in private and social lives, this chapter suggests a reconsideration of the theoretical concepts commonly applied in analyzing cities’ political dynamics and the social relations therein. The overall rationale is that not only do the meanings of fundamental political concepts such as equality, liberty and democracy change over time, but they are also contingent upon the political unit and the institutions analyzed. Consequently, political and legal theory must not only examine the nature and importance of these concepts but principally indicate how they are modified when applied to the city. Thus, this chapter suggests that the time is ripe for scholars to consider the canon of political and legal philosophy vis-à-vis the city.