The neoliberal philosophy of fiscal austerity aligned with reduced regulation has transformed Chicago. As pursued by mayor Rahm Emanuel and his predecessor Richard M. Daley, neoliberalism led officials to privatize everything from parking meters to schools, gut regulations and social services, and promote gentrification wherever possible. The essayists in Neoliberal Chicago explore an essential question: how does neoliberalism work on the ground in today's Chicago? Contextual chapters explore race relations, physical development, and why Chicago embraced neoliberalism. Other contributors delve into aspects of the neoliberal vision, neoliberalism's impact on three iconic city spaces, and how events like the 2008 foreclosure crisis and the bid to attract the Olympic Games reveal the workings of neoliberalism. Contributors: Stephen Alexander, Larry Bennett, Michael Bennett, Carrie Breitbach, Sean Dinces, Kenneth Fidel, Roberta Garner, Euan Hague, Black Hawk Hancock, Christopher Lamberti, Michael J. Lorr, Martha Martinez, Brendan McQuade, Alex G. Papadopoulos, Rajiv Shah, Costas Spirou, Carolina Sternberg, and Yue Zhang.

Larry Bennett is a professor of political science at DePaul University and the author of The Third City: Chicago and American Urbanism . Roberta Garner is a professor of sociology at DePaul University and the editor of Social Theory: Continuity and Confrontation . Euan Hague is a professor of geography at DePaul University and a coauthor of Regional and Local Economic Development .

"A wide-ranging collection of essays examining the divergent pathways of urban change in contemporary Chicago. This is an original and up-to-date account of the ongoing transformation of the city."--Nik Theodore, coauthor of Fast Policy: Experimental Statecraft at the Thresholds of Neoliberalism