New Residential Districts as an Object of Administrative and Media Discourse

The paper explores the polarities of the discourses about the new residential districts in Moscow. The large housing estates is the most populat form of Moscow growth at the moment. However, such buildings and areas are often stizmatized (Wacquant, 2008; Dikeç, 2011). Similar processes can be observed in social media discourse: some districts are called “ghetto“ and negatively accepted. The paper is based on SKAD (Sociology of knowledge approach to discourse) (Keller, 2011) methodology and shows the relationships between four types of discourse: from administrative, developers, market and experts point of view. The research shows that all the critical point of view is coming from the experts, however, authorities and developers reveal some hidden reaction towards the critique. The paper raises the question about some groups of citizens and its right to the city, its symbolic ability to participate in city life and be the political agent. The symbolic tension between the center and periphery is typical for many cites which are developing drastically. The study of discourse producton and symbolic space of the new “less attractve” districts shows the reasons behind the path of the city development.