The historical process of commercialization of cities: the case of Stockholm 1900-2020

The aim of this paper is to outline a process-based approach to the historical trajectory of commercialising cities that can account for continuity and change in a city’s image. Previous research involving historical approaches to the commercialisation of places are typically underpinned by a view of history as linear and chronological. By contrast, the present study adopts a performative view of history (Burke, 2005) according to which historical moments are understood as emergent, incomplete, ambiguous, and unresolved. This view resonates with an emergent understanding of commercialisation in recent research as an emerging ecology of different performative commercial activities in a way that they are promoted, marketed and branded at the same time in different emergent constellations in order to project a positive image to a range of different stakeholders (see Giovanardi et al 2013, Kavaratzis and Kalandides 2015).The argument is based on a historical narrative analysis (Mordhorst & Schwarzkopf, 2017) of the commercialisation process of Stockholm city during the period 1900-2020. While Sweden at the end of 18th century was a country with scarce resources and a relatively low income per capita, in the 19th century Swedish economic, social and cultural situation changed radically. Sweden went from being one of Europe’s poorest and political weakest countries to one of the richest in the world; all this happening in parallel with the historical development of Sweden’s cultural and social reputation which lay the foundation for the development of a nation brand that ranks among the top 10 strongest country brands in the world (cf. Aronczyk, 2008).The analytical focus was on how the narrative of the city changes over time in and through political visions and different economic logics of commercialisation: place making, selling, promotion, marketing, and branding. The visions were used as a way to interrogate narrative performativity and connect commercialisation to an institutionalised narrative path that is possible for other cities to emulate. Three dominant narrative logics were identified in the process of commercialising Stockholm: modernity, welfare, and corporatism. The logics follow a performative timeline; each historical period is marked by a combination of different practices of commercialisation.Unpacking the historical process of the construction of city image is important to gain a better understanding of contemporary branding practices and their consequences for the lived city (Czarniawska, 1999). Moreover, a historical approach that highlights the processes and performances that allow a brand to survive over time helps us to better understand how enduring and more resilient brands are built over time