Transnational urbanism in the South

This chapter examines transnational urbanism and argues for its use as a lens to interrogate urban transformations in the Global South where much of the world’s urban growth is occurring. Focusing on the Philippines, a nation whose lifeblood is intimately entangled with its overseas citizens and diasporic population, we examine multiple forms of transnational urbanisms by featuring three sites where urban transformation are hinged on transnational interconnections - (1) gated transnational suburbs and condominium units; (2) bodies and islands; (3) Italian mansions. These sites illustrate the varied ways urban transformation is instantiated and sustained by transnational connectivities, from the role of diasporic capital in fueling real estate development to the emotional geographies that underpin the rise of Italian-style mansions in a peri-urban village.