Question

According to Ghertner, how did a new focus on the urban environment help the state pursue its goal of clearing informal settlements?

a) The urban environment had no impact on the state's goal
b) The state was indifferent to the urban environment
c) The state exploited the concept of the urban environment
d) The state ignored the urban environment

Answer 1

Ghertner suggests that the state used the concept of the urban environment to justify and pursue the clearance of informal settlements, claiming that it would solve issues of urban decay and poverty.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Ghertner, the state exploited the concept of the urban environment to pursue its goal of clearing informal settlements. The urban renewal programs that involved slum clearance and the aesthetic improvement of cities were seen as opportunities by the state to not only remove what they considered to be urban blight but to also facilitate gentrification and redevelopment. This focus on transforming the urban landscape allowed the state to justify the displacement of communities in informal settlements under the guise of creating a more visually appealing urban environment and solving urban decay, which was deemed synonymous with poverty.