Whose place? Whose history? Contrasting narratives and experiences of neighbourhood change and housing renewal

Abstract

This paper suggests that more attention needs to be given to the historical formation and development of neighbourhood attachment in working-class areas. Notions of belonging and identity may be contingent, complex or contradictory and are shaped by the characteristics of place. The pattern of population change over time through the impact of migration is especially important in shaping notions of neighbourhood identity and perceptions of change. The sustainability of the local public realm and sites for local social interaction also figure strongly in narratives of change. The paper considers whether it is valuable to analyse these processes of change and continuity through the concept of path dependence. The paper suggests path dependence is of limited heuristic value, as it is difficult for this frame work to capture self-reinforcing, reactive, punctuated or incremental patterns of change – all of which were evident in the six research neighbourhoods. The paper suggests that a less deterministic “pathways” approach to neighbourhood change may be a more productive way forward