The History of Gentrification and the Example of Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Abstract

The History of Gentrification and the Example of Fort Greene, Brooklyn is an examination of a neighborhood. It starts with an overview of the current schools of thought regarding the phenomenon. First, Consumption Theory or gentrification that is sociologically driven and then Production Theory, which is economically driven. Gentrification is often seen as a recent phenomenon. This paper seeks to show how that is not necessarily the case. The paper then follows the history of the neighborhood from the mid 17th century to the present. Along the way, it shows the political, economic, and sociological forces that came to shape the identity of the neighborhood thru its history. The 2nd half of the paper shows how the attributes of gentrification relate to Fort Greene, and how they don’t.