10.17192/meta.2019.12.7834 Heeg, Susanne Susanne Heeg Neoliberalism and Neoliberalization: Helpful Devices for the Analysis of Urban Development in the Middle East and North Africa Middle East - Topics + Arguments : Vol 12 (2019) Philipps-Universität Marburg 2019 MENA Variegated Neoliberalism Urban Development Neoliberalization Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) 2019-07-10 2019-06-25 en JournalArticle https://journals.uni-marburg.de/0003/2019/230/7834 urn:nbn:de:hebis:04-0003-2019-230-78341 https://journals.uni-marburg.de/0003/2019/230/7834/7834.png 2196-629X application/pdf https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Neoliberalism is a widely used in social+nbsp;science to refer to processes such as+nbsp;privatization, deregulation, commodification, and austerity. Quite often in this+nbsp;interpretative framework, neoliberalism+nbsp;is also associated with the dismantling of+nbsp;the welfare state, the opening up of free+nbsp;trade and investment, and an increased+nbsp;emphasis on the private sector. In the academic discussion, various authors criticize+nbsp;the use of the term because it lacks analytical clarity and/or is used as a political+nbsp;slogan to denounce social and economic+nbsp;change. The aim of the article is neither to+nbsp;question the analytical dimension nor to+nbsp;develop an irrefutable definition, but to+nbsp;provide insight into the strength of a+nbsp;place- and time-sensitive discussion of+nbsp;neoliberalism. 2196-629X Middle East - Topics + Arguments Vol 12 (2019)