What Does 'Gentrification' Really Mean?

To some, gentrification is synonymous with an inseparably interconnected web of violent acts; it's a thing to be fought if we want to preserve compassion for the most vulnerable in our societies and guard against unmitigated greed. To others, though, gentrification is the simple mechanism by which we make our cities better, tied up in our most basic economic processes. But to many more, "gentrification" is a word that provokes anxiety and uncertainty, especially if we're people who hold some degree of economic, social or other power and we're not sure how best to use it.