Planet of Slums

What rhetorical devices does Davis use to convince readers of his ideas? How would the book have been different if he had profiled individual residents of slums? Why did Davis opt not to do this?

Davis concentrates on class war because he writes from a Marxist perspective. How does he use the ideas of Marxism in his argument? What does this lens leave out?

Have the policies of the IMF or World Bank changed since Davis wrote the book? How do these organizations respond to criticism? Are works like Davis’s effective at creating change?

Why doesn’t Davis provide any solutions for the problems he enumerates? What effect does this have on the book’s readers?

Examine the theme of dehumanization in the book. How do elites view the poor people whom their policies harm? Does this book contribute to or counter this perspective? Why or why not?

Explore the role that colonialism played on the growth and continuing existence of slums in the developing world. Why does Davis argue that colonial powers are partially to blame for the situation?

According to Davis, what resistance can the poor residents of slums put up to fight against their conditions? How effective are these efforts?

Compare the dangers of slums for those living in them to the perils they pose for those who own and maintain them. What does Davis argue will happen in a future of slum growth?