To browse Academia. Ronald Weitzer. Daniel Linz. City: analysis of urban trends, culture, theory, policy, action. Manuel Aalbers. The Amsterdam Red Light District is locally and internationally significant as one of the oldest venues for visible and legal urban prostitution. Recent urban planning changes in the area, instigated by City authorities, show the Red Light District is directly implicated in municipal gentrifying efforts, efforts that put at risk historic margins like the Red Light District.
This introductory paper to the special feature on the Red Light District of Amsterdam offers an overview of key perspectives on red light zones and specifically addresses how the Amsterdam Red Light District both fits, and is an exception to visible urban zones of prostitution. Joyce Goggin.
Rita Riccio. After 89 years of prohibiting brothels, the Netherlands legalized prostitution in Despite the apparent contradiction between prohibition and legalization, both are central moments in the spatialization of prostitution. During the 19th century prostitution was increasingly seen as a prison, both morally and physically.
This new imaginary of prostitution was institutionalized in the morality laws. Prostitution did not die out, but got relegated to more informal circuits.
The legalization had few direct spatial effects because most of what was written in the law was already the practice in regulated prostitution.
