Contemporary Urban Transformation Processes in the Prague Urban Region

PETROVIC, A. (2026). Contemporary Urban Transformation Processes in the Prague Urban Region. Dissertation thesis, supervisor Ouředníček, Martin. Prague: Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Social Geography and Regional Development.

This dissertation investigates contemporary urban transformation processes in the Prague Urban Region. Structured as a collection of peer-reviewed publications, along with an introduction to the studied processes and an overarching conclusion, the study examines four key processes: gating in the context of suburbanisation, gentrification, hipsterfication, and culture-led regeneration. Each process reshapes urban space through mechanisms of exclusion, commodification, and symbolic reconfiguration. The main objective of the dissertation is to identify and explain contemporary urban transformation processes in the Prague Urban Region (PUR), to characterise them, and to discuss their implications. Drawing on interdisciplinary foundations in urban studies, political science, and social, cultural, and critical geography, the research integrates qualitative and quantitative methods, including field observations, interviews, media and policy analyses, mapping, and demographic analyses. Case studies of Karlín, Smíchov, and selected suburban areas reveal how global forces and local agency interact to produce uneven development, socio-spatial differentiation, and the emergence of new urban identities. The dissertation critically engages with theories of urban governance, place-making, and socio-spatial justice, highlighting the role of neoliberal urbanisation and cultural appropriation in shaping lived experiences and civic participation. It also reflects on the implications of racialised space, particularly for Roma communities, and the symbolic politics embedded in regeneration strategies. By situating Prague within broader debates on post-socialist and global urbanism, the study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of transformation processes, having new theoretical, methodological and empirical contributions. It offers insights relevant to scholars, planners, and policymakers concerned with equitable urban futures.