Urban Consumption, Inequality, and Social Conflict

Consumption practices are a fundamental part of urban life, extending beyond economic transactions to shape social, cultural, and political dynamics. As social activities, they facilitate interactions, reinforcing the role of consumption spaces as key urban infrastructures. Moreover, consumption practices serve as performative expressions of identity, ethics, and collective values, making them inherently political. However, access to consumption is highly unequal, as economic and social disparities structure the ways urban dwellers engage in commercial activities. Consumption both reflects and reinforces these inequalities, influencing urban landscapes through the creation of differentiated spaces and practices. In the global age, consumption has been central to urban transformations, often driving gentrification and the uneven development of city districts. While new consumption spaces attract consumers and city users, other areas face neglect, exacerbating social divisions. Consequently, conflicts over commodification, privatization, and touristification have become increasingly prominent, giving rise to political and social resistance. This chapter explores the intersection of consumption, urban inequality, and conflict. It examines how consumption structures urban disparities, contributes to city transformations, and fuels social tensions. Finally, it considers how contestation itself becomes embedded in the urban consumption landscape, shaping the future of urban development and social resistance.