An unnatural history of destruction: catastrophe and the city

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the urban space as a space of catastrophe. In particular, it considers earthquakes and human-caused destructive events. By drawing on Foucault’s notion of heterotopias, De Martino’s reflections on cultural apocalypses and Assmann’s notion of cultural memory, it reveals the key role played by catastrophes in the recreation and re-imagination of urban spaces. It also considers their relevance to art – in particular architecture, sculpture, and poetry – when it comes to reconfiguring forms of living and recreating a common ethos for survivors and inhabitants.