Urban Studies | Publications | Lidia K.C. Manzo

Creating a platform for participatory collaborations between urban communities, researchers and policy makers to develop synergistic research and social-change agendas

I have published monographs and edited books, articles in peer reviewed journals and book chapters, which have been very well received. Parallel to academia, my work conducted as a social policy expert for the City of Milan led in 2013 to the establishment and participatory management of a Laboratory of Urban Citizenship (GLab), to develop second generation migrants’ pathways of social inclusion and recognition. Furthermore, the participatory management of a co-funded Lombardy Region project with 31 local institutions and four university departments allowed me to develop a territorial policy agenda for young people in a time of crisis. I was recommended by the City Mayor of Milan to edit a book that was launched in December 2015 and was later characterized by other Italian cities as a ground breaking initiative and good-governance model.

> Research

lidia.manzo AT gmail DOT com

PUBLICATIONS

Books and edited special issues

2023. Manzo, L.K.C. Gentrification and Diversity: Re-branding Milan’s Chinatown, Cham: Springer. ISBN: 978-3-031-35142-6

2023. Manzo, L.K.C. Quartieri operai: Identità e trasformazioni. San Giuseppe, Trento: l’elaborazione simbolica della riqualificazione ex-Michelin, [Working-class neighborhoods: Identity and transformation. San Giuseppe, Trento: the symbolic elaboration of the former Michelin redevelopment], Bologna: I libri di Emil di Odoya. ISBN: 978-88-6680-460-4

2021. Manzo, L.K.C. A personal network approach to ethnography: theoretical implications and methodological challenges, special issue editorial in Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa, 2, pp. 169-183. DOI: 10.3240/101566

2015. Manzo, L.K.C. (ed) Culture and Visual Forms of Power. Experiencing Contemporary Spaces of Resistance, Champaign, Illinois, USA: Common Ground Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61229-640-1

Read a review by Gustavo Racy (Universiteit Antwerpen, Visual and Digital Cultures Research Center) in Anthrovision, 3.1 (Nov/2015), ISSN: 2198-6754.

2015. Manzo, L.K.C. (ed), MI GENERATION. Il Piano di Governance delle Politiche Giovanili della Città di Milano (2013-2014) [The Governance Programme for Youth Policies of the City of Milan (2013-2014)], Milano: Comune di Milano. ISBN 978-88-9405-101-8

2013. Manzo, L.K.C., «Il Quartiere: il nostro campo di gioco» Verso una sociologia ‘spazialista’ [«The Neighborhood: our Playground» Towards the ‘Spatial Turn’ in Social and Urban Theory], Bologna: Odoya. ISBN: 978-88-6680-071-2

Read an English review by Federico Savini (University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research) in Cidades, Comunidades e Territórios, 27 (Dec/2013), pp.73-75 ISSN: 2182-3030.

Ph.D. Dissertation

2014. Manzo, L.K.C. «Give me a break! I’m from Brooklyn, we’re not fancy». Institutions, Housing and Lifestyles in Super-gentrification process. A Field and Historical research in Park Slope, New York City, The University of Trento, Unitn-eprints PhD.

Refereed Journal Articles and Commentaries

2022. Manzo, L.K.C. “Love in the time of COVID-19: How couples stayed ‘at home’ during the first lockdown in Italy”, in Social & Cultural Geography, 24:3-4, 428-446, DOI: 10.1080/14649365.2022.2130417

2021. Manzo, L.K.C. «If you break up with your family over love, you break up with everyone!». Intercultural couples and their «chosen» networks of support in Italy“, in Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa, 2, pp. 321-345. DOI: 10.3240/101574

2021. Colombo, E., Manzo, L.K.C., “Moglie e buoi… da dove vuoi!. Rappresentazioni giovanili dell’amore interculturale” (in Italian), in Polis, 2, pp. 183-208. DOI: 10.1424/101335

2020. Minello, A., Martucci, S., Manzo, L.K.C., “The pandemic and the academic mothers: present hardships and future perspectives“, in European Societies, 23:sup1, S82-S94. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1809690.

2020. Manzo, L.K.C., Minello, A. “Mothers, childcare duties, and remote working under COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: Cultivating communities of care“, in Dialogues in Human Geography, 10(2), 120-123. https://doi.org/10.1177/2043820620934268

2020. Manzo, L.K.C. “Love in a Diverse City,” in The Sociological Review, online, https://doi.org/10.51428/tsr.btwp4237

2019. Manzo, L.K.C., “Constituting SWIG Ireland: Community, Social Capital and Academic Citizenship“ in Irish Geography 52(1). ISSN: 0075-0778 (Print) 1939-4055 (Online)

2019. Manzo, L.K.C., Druta, O., Ronald, Richard, “Supported Home Ownership and Adult Independence in Milan: The Gilded Cage of Family Housing Gifts and Transfers“ in Sociology 53(3), 519-537. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038518798761.

2019. Manzo, L.K.C., “Naked elites: unveiling embodied markers of superiority through co-performance ethnography in gentrified Brooklyn’s Park Slope,” in Urban Geography, 40(5), 645-664, DOI: 10.1080/02723638.2017.1381535

2017. Manzo, L.K.C., “Resisting Gentrification: the case for Diversity,” special issue “Stay put! Anti-gentrification practices in Southern Europe” in UrbanisticaTre, Journal of Urban Design and Planning of Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Vol. 5 , Iss. 13, 111-117. ISSN: 2531-7091

2017. Manzo, L.K.C., “Video-Ethnography and Critical Research for More Democratic Urbanization: The Case of Milan Chinatown,” in Visual Anthropology, City Visualscapes special issue: visual practices of urban research, Vol. 30, 1-17. ISSN: 0894-9468 print/1545-5920 online. DOI: 10.1080/08949468.2017.1296295

2016. Manzo, L.K.C., Druta, O., Ronald, R., “Supported Home Ownership and Adult Independence in Milan: The Gilded Cage of Family Housing Gifts and Transfers” HOUWEL Working Paper Series No. 11, Centre for Urban Studies and the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, November 2016. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14186.52162

2016. Manzo, L.K.C., «Via via, vieni via di qui!» Il processo di gentrificazione di via Paolo Sarpi, la Chinatown di Milano (1980-2015) (in Italian) [The process of gentrification of Paolo Sarpi street, the Milan’s Chinatown 1980-2015], in Archivio di Studi Urbani e Regionali, no. 117 November 2016, pp. 27-50.

2013. Manzo, L.K.C., “Gentrificación de sensibilidades. Política y estética en un barrio en transformación de la Ciudad de Nueva York” (in Spanish) [The Gentrification of Sensibilities: Politics and Aesthetics in a NYC changing neighborhood] in Quid 16. Revista de Área de Estudios Urbanos, Issue on “Ciudades neoliberales”: políticas urbanas, diseño y justicia social, No 3 (2013), pp. 62- 94. ISSN: 2250-4060

2013. Manzo, L.K.C., “Milano Montecity. The suspended City“, (in Italian) in UrbanisticaTre, Journal of Urban Design and Planning of Università degli Studi Roma Tre, issue on Urban Representations, Year I, 3, September-December 2013, pp. 65-74. ISSN: 1973-9702

2013. Manzo, L.K.C. and Annunziata, S., “Desire for Diversity and Difference in Gentrified Brooklyn. Dialogue between a Planner and a Sociologist“, in Cambio. Rivista sulle trasformazioni sociali, Issue on Cities and neighborhood undergoing transformation, Year III, 6, December 2013, pp. 71-88. ISSN: 2239-1118

2013. Manzo, L.K.C. “Vicini, (ma non troppo). Uno studio esplorativo sul tema del vicinato in Italia.” (in Italian) [Love thy neighbours, but not too much. An Exploratory Study on Neighbouring in Italy], in CIDADES, Comunidades e Territórios, June (26), pp. 16 – 39. ISSN: 2182-3030

2013. Manzo, L.K.C. Commentary: “Visual Approaches to Urban Ethnography“, in URBANITIES, The Journal of the IUAES Commission on Urban Anthropology, May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 99-102. ISSN: 2239-5725

2013. Manzo, L.K.C. “Seeing Gentrification behind the Window of a Sicilian Bakery: Reflexive Ethnography and documentary practice in Brooklyn“, in Streetnotes – University of California Davis, (21) p. 25-28. ISSN: 2159-2926

2012. Manzo, L.K.C. “On People In Changing Neighborhoods. Gentrification and Social Mix: Boundaries and Resistance. A comparative ethnography of two historic neighborhoods in Milan (Italy) and Brooklyn (New York, USA)”, in CIDADES, Comunidades e Territórios, June (24), pp. 1-29. ISSN: 2182-3030

Socio-Spatial Semiotics:

2012. Manzo, L.K.C. “She is wild. Una trentenne milanese a New York City” (in Italian), [She is wild. A milanese woman in her thirties in New YorkCity], journal article, issue on “Alibi. Verso una semiotica del viaggio” [Alibi. Towards a Semiotics of the journey], Ocula – Occhio semiotico sui media [Semiotic Eye on Media]. ISSN 1724-7810.

2010. Manzo, L.K.C. “La nuova FIAT appartiene a tutti noi. La campagna di lancio pubblicitario della nuova fiat 500” (in Italian), [The FIAT multifaceted ad campaign on the new 500 micro-car], journal article, issue on Ocula Flux dicembre 2009, Occhio semiotico sui media [Semiotic Eye on Media]. ISSN 1724-7810.

Book Chapters

2023. Manzo, L.K.C. “Nuovi modelli per l’abitare dei giovani in Trento” (in Italian) [New Housing Models for Youth in Trento], in Facchinelli, B. (ed.), Voglia di casa. Presupposti sociologici dell’abitare, Trento: Gi.Pro, Tavolo dei giovani professionisti della provincia di Trento, pp. 4-21. ISBN: 9791221026009

2022. Martucci, S., Minello, A. and Manzo L.K.C. “The unequal ivory tower: The effects of COVID-19 on academic mothers“, in Fornalé, E. (ed.), Gender Equality in the Mirror: Reflecting on Power, Participation and Global Justice, Leiden: Brill (pp. 159–177). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004467682_009

2021. Manzo, L.K.C. “Amore in Quarantena. Relazioni di coppia alla prova del lockdown“, in Colombo, E. and Rebughini, P. (eds.), Acrobati del presente. La vita quotidiana alla prova del lockdown, Roma: Carocci. ISBN: 9788829005598

2020. Manzo, L.K.C. “Album di famiglia. Pratiche della memoria e forme di presentazione della coppia interculturale” (in Italian), in Ascari, P. (ed.), Oggetti contesi. Le cose nella migrazione, Milano: Mimesis “Eterotopie”. ISBN: 9788857568607

2016. Manzo, L.K.C. “(foto)Video etnografia collaborativa negli spazi urbani. La produzione di ‘Aquila Bianca’ nell’ex-Italcementi di Trento” (in Italian) [photo-Video collaborative ethnography in urban spaces. The production of ‘White Eagle’ in the former Italcementi factory in Trento], in Frisina, A. (ed.), Metodi Visuali di ricerca sociale, Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 191-210. ISBN: 8815265570

2015. Manzo, L.K.C. “Il ‘Piano Giovani’ della città di Milano: dagli strumenti alla pratica di una governance aperta e partecipata,” in Manzo, L.K.C. (ed) «MI Generation» Il Piano di Governance delle Politiche Giovanili della Città di Milano (2013-2014) (in Italian) [The Governance Programme for Youth Policies of the City of Milan 2013-2014], Milano: Comune di Milano (pp. 6-20). ISBN 978-88-9405-101-8

2015. Manzo, L.K.C. “And their struggle becomes visible. For a radical revaluation of Foucault’s conception of resistance to power,” in Manzo, L.K.C. (ed) Culture and Visual Forms of Power. Experiencing Contemporary Spaces of Resistance, Champaign, Illinois, USA: Common Ground Publishing, pp. 1-10. ISBN 978-1-61229-640-1

2012. Manzo, L.K.C. “Emergent spaces, contemporary urban conflicts. Experiences of social mix in changing neighborhoods: The case study Milan’s Chinatown”, in Camp Yeakey, C. (eds), Living on the Boundaries: Urban Marginality in National and International Contexts, Bristol, En: Emerald Inc, pp. 415 – 449. ISBN-13: 978-1780520322

2012. Manzo, L.K.C. “Paesaggi ibridi della (nella) città diffusa. Via (da) Paolo Sarpi. Una ricerca etnografica nella Chinatown di Milano” (in Italian) [Hybrid landscapes of the diffused city. An ethnographic research in the Milan’s Chinatown], in Zanni, F. (eds), Urban Hybridization, Milano: Maggioli Editore, pp. 433-466. ISBN: 8838761329

2011. Manzo, L.K.C. “The ‘Asian Betweeners’. Cultural Identities and the new communication technologies”, in German, M. & Banerjee, P. (eds), Migration, Technology & Transculturation: A Global Perspective, St. Charles, MO: Lindenwood University Press, pp. 107-125. ISBN-13: 978-0984630745

2010. Manzo, L.K.C. (co-authored with Monteleone, R.) “Un quartiere storico in fuga dal presente” (in Italian) [An historic neighborhood escaping from the present] in Bricocoli M., Savoldi P. (eds), Milano Downtown. Azione pubblica e luoghi dell’abitare, Milano: Et Al. Edizioni, pp. 133-162. ISBN-13: 978-8864630182

Book Reviews

2014. Manzo, L.K.C. Review of Market place: Food quarters, design and urban renewal in London by Parham, S. (2012) Cambridge Scholars Publishing, in Hospitality & Society Journal, 4 (2) pp. 218–220. ISSN: 20427913

Encyclopedia Entries

2015. Manzo, L.K.C. “Cool.” In J. Micheael Ryan and Daniel Cook, eds. Encyclopedia of Consumption and Consumer Studies. New York: Wiley-Balckwell.

Working papers, Research Reports, Posters

2012. Manzo, L.K.C. “People in a hybrid neighborhood. Using ethnography to explore social boundaries in urban transformation”, Research Poster in The Hybrid_Link, n. 1, April 2012, web journal of the Urban Hybridization International Research Group – UHIRG of Architecture and Planning Faculty at Politecnico di Milano, ISSN: 2039-4608

2009. Monteleone, R. and Manzo, L.K.C. “Canonica Sarpi. Un quartier historique en fuite du présent” (in French), chapter in Bricocoli M., Savoldi P., Lieux, outils d’aménagement et de sûreté. La production des nouveaux espaces urbains, Rapport de Récherche, Paris: PUCA – Plan Urbain Construction et Architecture.

Contributions to Newsletters

Fall 2016, Newsletter of the American Planning Association, Housing and Community Development Division
2016. Whitaker, K., Jardini, F., Shitrit, M. and Manzo, L.K.C. – Squatting and its Impact on Public Life in Milan’s Emerging Cultural District – The “right to occupy” vacant and abandoned spaces is a crucial contemporary topic of debate in global cities. In Milan, Italy, squatters occupy uninhabited apartments, buildings, and public housing units in both peripheral and central parts of the city.

Issue 5, October 2012, Newsletter of the ISA Visual Sociology Thematic Group TG05
2012. Manzo, L.K.C. A-WAY from PAOLO SARPI. Filmmaking and Ethnographic Research from the Milan’s Chinatown – The documentary is focused on contested urban spaces and it approaches the riots in Milan’s Chinatown under the lens of gentrification, globalization and migration policies in Italy. The author/director has recently won a Student Award by presenting her work at the Visual Sociology section of the American Sociological Association – ASA Annual Conference, in Denver Colorado, where the documentary was screened – August 2012. (Pages 19-24)

Issue 3, November 2011, Newsletter of the ISA Visual Sociology Thematic Group TG05
2011. Manzo, L.K.C. Make Creativity in Complex Urban Spaces: The transformation of the NDSM docklands area in Amsterdam North. As we know, the built environment may be used as an empirical source. In this area my visual research it concerns the visibility and reflection of the social relations, ideas and developments of creativity in urban space. (pp. 19-24)

Issue 2, June 2011, Newsletter of the ISA Visual Sociology Thematic Group TG05
2011. Manzo, L.K.C. NOLA March 2011: Magazine Street and Warehouse District. The neighborhoods are still in trouble, the face of New Orleans continues to change. (p. 15)