Illegal Properties. A Sociolegal Study of Land-grabbing in Mexico City

This article is based on empirical evidence about Mexico City, exploring the spatial distribution of illegal property transfer complaints made by the population to government agencies. It describes the role violence plays in forced property transfers in Mexico City, both nationally and locally. It also provides evidence for discussing the normative and material conditions that facilitate or limit criminal justice system participation in resolving these sorts of property-based conflicts. The author shows that forced property transfers are often concentrated in certain neighborhoods, main-ly in the center of the city, an area disputed because of its historic value and urban facilities.