Brussels
This episode dives into the enduring imprint of colonialism on Brussels, exploring how the cityscape itself tells the story of exploitation and wealth extraction. Beyond figures and academic data, this video essay examines the physical legacy of colonial projects in Belgium's capital, from grandiose architecture to urban layouts. While the fruits of this exploitation disproportionately benefited a select elite—most notably the Belgian royal family—its effects ripple through the city, shaping not only its historical identity but also its modern-day structures. The episode also addresses the erasure of Brussels’ historic neighborhoods, including the destruction of old quarters to pave the way for speculative real estate projects and European institutional buildings, often at the cost of forced displacement, in a process that came to be known as bruxellisation. In fact, as we will discuss, this process is the physical manifestation of a new wave of wealth extraction in the global south.