Mixing communities? Riots, regeneration and renewal on problem estates in France and England

Provan, Bert (2017) Mixing communities? Riots, regeneration and renewal on problem estates in France and England. Political Quarterly, 88 (3). pp. 452-464. ISSN 0032-3179

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Abstract

Riots, social exclusion, and endless improvement programmes have been a feature of the poorest neighbourhoods in France and England for the last thirty-five years or more—particularly focused on large social housing estates. Programmes of improvement have followed similar paths in each country, with mixed success. This article sets out a short overview of these programmes in each country, then contrasts and compares the objectives, approaches, and outcomes. Each country has key elements of inter-agency working, local and resident participation and planning, large-scale building rehabilitation and demolition programmes, though the French system is more often based on specific local contracts between cities and the central departments. Similar evaluation outcome indicators and frameworks of ‘floor’ and ‘gap’ targets have been set, although evidence of success is limited and, particularly in France, there has been considerable criticism of the approach and framework. In parallel, however, the concept of ‘mixed communities’ has emerged as an alternative strategic approach—intuitively reasonable, politically popular, but lacking an evidence base and often ineffective in dealing with poverty.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(IS...
Additional Information:	© 2017 The Author. The Political Quarterly © The Political Quarterly Publishing Co. Ltd.
Divisions:	Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD100 Land Use H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Date Deposited:	19 Sep 2017 09:22
Last Modified:	14 Sep 2024 07:31
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/84242

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