The “Paris Problem” in Toronto: the State, Space, and the Political Fear of “The Immigrant”
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THE “PARIS PROBLEM” IN TORONTO: THE STATE, SPACE, AND THE POLITICAL FEAR OF “THE IMMIGRANT” PARASTOU SABERI A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIRMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO January 2017 © Parastou Saberi, 2017 ABSTRACT The “Paris Problem” in Toronto addresses contemporary debates on place-based urban policies in the “immigrant neighbourhoods” of Western metropolitan centers. Taking the ideologically constructed figure of “the immigrant” seriously, I emphasize the need to examine the relational formation of urban and imperial policies and politics of intervention. Focusing on Toronto (Canada), a city celebrated for its diversity management and tolerance, the central thesis of this dissertation is that the material force of the ruling classes’ political fear of non-White working-class populations and neighbourhoods is central to the formation of place-based urban strategies. This political fear feeds upon a territorialized and racialized security ideology that conceives of non-White working-class spaces as potential spaces of insecurity, political disorder and violence. It is based on this security ideology and its link to “race riots” that the “Paris problem” has become a common reference point in policy circles in Toronto since 2005. I show how this territorialized and racialized security ideology is camouflaged within a liberal humanitarian ideology that renders non-White working-class spaces as spaces simultaneously in need of securitization and tutelage. Such a rendition parallels the perceptions of “ungoverned spaces” in the “war on terror.” I examine major place-based social development policies (Priority Neighbourhoods, Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020), place-based housing redevelopment policy (Tower Renewal), and national and urban policing strategies, providing the first comprehensive socio-historical analysis of place-based urban policy targeting non-White poverty in Toronto that began in the 1990s. I have traced the ideological formation and transformation of major policy techniques like mapping and policy concepts such as: poverty, security, policing, development, empowerment, social determinants of health, equity and prevention across various scales and temporalities. Instead of eradicating or reducing poverty, the goal of such policies is to constitute a liberal “post-colonial” poor, one who is eminently less threatening to the political stability of imperialist capitalism. My research shows that the state can mobilize place-based policy as a modality of neo-colonial pacification. Not reducible to a product of neoliberalization, such a policy recomposes colonial relations of domination by moderating violence and pacifying perceived threats to the existing order. ii Acknowledgements Like any intellectual work, this dissertation is a collective product. Many individuals, scattered across three continents, were influential for my thinking through, writing, and finishing this thesis. To do justice to their support, love, friendship, and camaraderie, I have to write a book- length of acknowledgements. Let me start with sending love and thank you to the fantastic women in my life. To my mother, Farzaneh Vajihollahi, who taught me from an early age to stand for and believe in myself, and who provided me with all the opportunities that our patriarchal society had denied her and for which she had fiercely fought. While I never became the dream she wanted, without her unconditional love, acceptance, and support throughout my life, I would have not been able to live and change my life the way I have done. To my mentor and friend, Himani Bannerji (York University), whose work, life, and friendship I admire dearly. I first got to know Himani through her works on multiculturalism and feminism when I came to Canada thirteen years ago. Her works not only have been fundamental to the development of my thinking and politics, but also for navigating my everyday life in Canadian society. When I took my first class with Himani at York University, I knew I had finally found the mentor I had searched and longed for. A giant intellectual, a militant anti-racist, feminist marxist, an enthusiastic teacher, and an extremely down-to-earth, kind-hearted person. To my friend and colleague Colleen Bell (University of Saskatchewan), whose work, determination, and friendship have been constant sources of inspiration for me. Colleen’s work on Canada’s security politics and counterinsurgency strategies has been fundamental to the main contributions of this dissertation. I owe a lot to her friendship and sharp critique of my work, as well as to our continuing conversations about writing, research, politics, and academia. To my friends and abjiz, Yasmine Hassan, Sanaz Mehranvar, Leila Mazhari, Laili Solaimani, Niloofar Golkar, Baran Nosratpour, Tina Mazhari, and Parmys and Panthea Bahiraie, whose invaluable friendship, love, support, and trust in me have been oxygen to my blood. I owe my sanity and self-confidence in the troubled academic world to endless hours of talking, laughing, drinking, smoking, dancing, walking, biking, climbing, dreaming, crying, and simply being with these wonderful strong women. I am extremely lucky to have them in my life. This dissertation would have not seen the day light without the guidance of my supervisor Stefan Kipfer (York University), who patiently and generously helped me navigate eight years of iii academia, politics, activism, and the very complicated in-between spaces in Toronto. His influence on my work is undeniable. I am deeply grateful to Stefan’s close reading and constructive critique of my work, and, to many hours of political and academic discussions with him. I am also deeply indebted to Liette Gilbert (York University), who has kindly and consistently encouraged my progress and supported me in every possible way from day one of my doctoral studies at York University. I am sincerely thankful of Liette’s close reading of my work, encouraging comments, and constant availability. Besides supporting me throughout my doctoral studies, Stefan and Liette have also been extraordinary supportive by providing me with reference letters in the brutal world of contract academic jobs. I owe my teaching jobs, without which I would have had a hard time surviving the last two years, and the precious experiences that came with that work to both Stefan and Liette. I am also grateful to Emily Gilbert (University of Toronto), who joined my committee four years ago. Emily’s close reading of my work and her comments have been very helpful to strengthening my work. The process of writing is an inseparable part of any intellectual work. Writing this dissertation had its own ups and downs, through which I learned a lot about writing, my areas of research, and my own self. I wrote all pages of this dissertation in the Harbord apex on the thirteenth floor of Robarts library at the heart of the University of Toronto campus in central Toronto. There, in the Brutalist space of Robarts library, I immensely benefited from the truly interdisciplinary company of “the thirteenth-floor crew:” my friends and comrades Colleen Bell (until June 2015, at which time she moved), Dhruv Jain, Dale Shin, Tom Laughlin, Erin Mandzad- Heer, Thorben Wieditz, and Ryan Toews. Our lunch-hour discussions, breaks, walks around Robarts, and late-night jokes were invaluable to keeping me motivated and grounded throughout this journey. Special thanks should go to Thorben, with whom I started my PhD at York Faculty of Environmental Studies in 2008. Many academics and colleagues have influenced the shape and direction of my research at professional conferences and in publication processes. Above all, I would like to thank Mark Neocleous (Brunel University), Tyler Wall (Eastern Kentucky University), and Greg Albo (York University). Historical Materialism Toronto has also been a great intellectual space for me. I am particularly grateful to the 2014 HM Toronto conference organizing team, Christopher Webb, Nicole Leach, Nausheen Quayyum, Donya Ziaee, Jessica Evans, and Christopher Bailey, as well as to Gökbörü Sarp Tanyıldız, who joined us in 2015. iv I owe a great part of my political knowledge of Toronto and Canada to my rank-and-file activism at CUPE 3903 from 2008 to 2013, and my on-and-off engagement with left groups across the city. Doing a PhD at York University has usually the reputation of taking forever to finish. If there is truth in that reputation, the bright side for me was the invaluable opportunity of meeting many great and solid people. I was lucky to kick off my doctoral studies with a CUPE 3903 strike (November 2008-January 2009) that turned into the longest strike in academic sector in English Canadian history. I am particularly grateful to Tyler Shipley, Gregory Bird, Sarah Horstein, Baolinh Dang, Farid Chahrlangi, Jesse Payne, Wendy Glauser, Vicky and Joshua Moufawad-Paul, Chris Ramsaroop, Gita Hashemi, Noaman Ali, Steve da Silva, Kabir Joshi-Vijayan, and the late Ali Mustafa who lost his life in Aleppo, Syria in March 2014. The strengths of this dissertation are due to the company, influence, and support of all these great people. The shortcomings, errors in details and lacunae of judgement are obviously due to my faults. Special thanks are also due to my friend and editor, Stephan Dobson, who has read this text so closely and given me valuable editorial advice, along with directing me to interesting sources. Last but not least, I want to thank my parents, Farzaneh Vajihollahi and Akbar Saberi. Without their emotional and financial support I would have had a very hard time exploring my always-changing life plans. Farzin Manouchehrian and Nadi Naderi have also been extremely kind and generously supportive since I came to Canada in August 2003. I am also grateful to my brother, Ali Saberi, for being there for me and for making me laugh even when we are a continent and ocean apart.