This seminar focuses on the privatisation of public space by leisure industries in Greece.
Leisure industries were one of the few sectors that thrived during the period of crisis and austerity, given their labour-intensive character and precarious working conditions, and contributed to the tourism development of major cities. Using the case of Thessaloniki, Dr Katsinas argues that the privatisation of public space by leisure industries, driven by the legal framework, socioeconomic characteristics of a place, and investment decisions by entrepreneurs, contributes to the creation of rent gaps. The incentives provided to landlords and entrepreneurs to open leisure industries, compared to other land uses, on ground floors then have a considerable effect on the city’s public space and its use.
Meet our speaker and chair
Philipp Katsinas is an urban geographer and his work broadly focuses on the transformations of housing systems, including the social and spatial impacts of the increasing role of finance and tourism on urban economies. Philipp has held teaching roles at King’s College London, Birkbeck, University of London, and Queen Mary University of London. He is part of the City Collective for the journal City.
Vassilis Monastiriotis is an economist and economic geographer by training, specialising in three areas of Labour Economics, Economic Geography and Political Economy. He has significant policy engagement on all three areas, including appointments in Experts Committees (e.g., on Regional Incentives policy and on Minimum Wage policy in Greece) and work with international bodies such as the European Commission (DG Regio, DG EMPL, DG EAC), the CEFTA Secretariat and the EBRD.
The twitter hashtag for this event is #LSEGreece
The Hellenic Observatory (@HO_LSE) is internationally recognised as one of the premier research centres on contemporary Greece and Cyprus. It engages in a range of activities, including developing and supporting academic and policy-related research; organisation of conferences, seminars and workshops; academic exchange through visiting fellowships and internships; as well as teaching at the graduate level through LSE's European Institute.
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