Thinking Barcelona

Book excerpt: Thinking Barcelona studies the ideologies that redefined Barcelona during the 1980s and helped the city adapt to a new economy of tourism, culture, and services. Looking specifically at the lead-up to the 1992 Olympic Games and the urban renewal geared toward establishing Barcelona as a happy combination of European cosmopolitanism and Mediterranean rootedness, Edgar Illas situates Barcelona as a key example of contemporary urban rebranding after the fall of communism and the establishment of the neoliberal “end of history.” Looking at a host of materials associated with the games as well as contemporary architectural and literary works, he offers a compelling look at postmodern globalization as it manifests itself through urban regeneration.