Profit, Policy, and Inequality: Urban Policy in Moscow

The goal of this master thesis is to improve understanding of how green space figures in the political economy of power relations in Moscow. This study derives from the right to the city theory and Lefebvre’s studies devoted to the processes of material production of space from above, the discursive legitimisation of these processes, as well as the legitimised bottom-up struggle of citizens for urban space re-appropriation and against its misuse. Harvey’s, Stavrides’, De Angelis’ elaborations of Lefebvre’s theoretical ramifications help to frame Lefebvre’s notions of the right to the city as a ground for urban commons. Suggested framework helps to unveil how right to the city is conveyed in activities of the Muscovites. Empirical ground of this research constitute semi-structured interviews with representatives of local communities involved in urban green space protection movements. Methodological basis of the paper is the ‘Big Q’ thematic analysis. The paper shows what do contests over green space reveal about state-society relations in Moscow, and the role of green space in the priorities of the city government.