Comparative Perspective on Legal Geography of Demolition in Urban Renovation. A French-Russian Approach

Abstract

In this paper, we present a conceptual tool which enables a legal geography comparative approach to studying the demolition of modernist housing estates in different geographical contexts. We argue that “the legal targets of demolition” is an efficient lens through which to view such a comparison. We present its four dimensions (spatial coverage, criteria of inclusion, people and institutions, and the iteration of the law) and then apply it to three study cases: the French National Programs for Urban Renewal (PNRU, 2004-2020 and NPNRU, since 2014) and the Russian Renovatsiya in Saint Petersburg (since 2008) and in Moscow (since 2017). In conclusion, we expose the interests and the limits of such a comparative approach in two very different political and social contexts.