The middle classes in the city: social mix or just 'people like us'? A Comparison of Paris and London
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Sch for Policy Studies
Abstract
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Publications
Bacque M.
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City: A Study of Paris and London
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2014)
The Middle Class 'at Home among the Poor' - How Social Mix is Lived in P arisian Suburbs: Between Local Attachment and Metropolitan Practices
in International Journal of Urban and Regional Research
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
Bacqué M
(2015)
The Middle Classes and the City
| Description | This comparative study investigates the contemporary characteristics of the 'new urban' middle classes in France and Britain. It does so by comparing Paris and London in terms of the different types of neighbourhoods in which middle-class people have settled, particularly over the last 25 years - gentrified, gentrifying, gated communities, suburban and exurban neighbourhoods. Based on 400 in-depth interviews with middle-class residents and key informants (200 in each city) the study investigates to what extent middle-class attitudes and activities vary across these locations and the impact of Paris and London as global cities on these activities. The study finds that neighbourhood location is a strong factor for distinguishing social identity and activities and social norms of different middle-class fractions. Strong gender distinctions persist across the different neighbourhoods that are further distinguished by generational differences in the fortunes and aspirations of the middle classes. The degrees of investment in and identification with neighbourhood varies - within and between London and Paris - as do the responses to social mix, sometimes in unexpected ways. All the neighbourhoods show specific types of what we call 'selective neighbourhood advocacy' by middle-class residents. This neighbourhood-specific selective advocacy challenges the assumptions of nationally-based urban and neighbourhood policy that sees middle-class residents as advocates in socially-mixed neighbourhoods helping to improve services and political responsiveness to these neighbourhoods. The study of middle-class attitudes and activities within these neighbourhoods and the political and social implications of these affiliations and engagements are explored at neighbourhood, city, national and transnational scales. |
| Exploitation Route | To date the project has succeeded in securing a number of scientific impacts, in theoretical terms (on the active role of urban space on class) and through the empirical findings. In particular, these examine the structure of the city in understanding midde-class self perceptions and attitudes to social mix as well as their active place-making or place neutral strategies in the neighbourhood contexts. Looking at the middle classes across a range of different neighbourhood types in two cities opens up questions about the changing nature of the middle classes - continuities and discontinuities across the urban system, the limits of gentrification and questions of social justice and social mix. Policy implications: neighbourhoods - the problematic nature of middle class advocacy has implication for neighbourhood partnership policy; Schools: peer group trumps league tables in middle class judgements of school quality with implications for education policy. housing: inheritance is increasingly important for access to housing across different middle class groups with implications for housing and neighbourhood inequalities; childcare - childcare costs are a disincentive for labour market participation even for professional middle class women - with implications for childcare policy. Policy implications: |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | Thus far the findings have been used directly to inform discussion at national level, for example about the impacts of gentrification in London and Paris (for example, politicians responding to the findings at the City Hall conference, Paris 2013). At the local level the findings have been used on community websites (eg Peckham Complex) and have led to on-going involvement of members of research team in informing neighbourhood debates and action. International media engagement (eg. BBC Radio 4, Radio France Internationale have raised stimulated interest an enquiry from the public. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | ESRC Centre for Market and Public Organisation |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RES-343-28-0001 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2015 |
| End | 04/2015 |
| Description | ESRC Centre for Market and Public Orgnisation |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RES-343-28-0001 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2012 |
| End | 08/2012 |
| Description | Visting professorship -Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago (Chile) (M Benson) |
| Organisation | Diego Portales University |
| Country | Chile |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Research collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | Research collaboration |
| Impact | Just commenced - none so far. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | visiting professor Sciences Po (T Butler) |
| Organisation | Sciences Po |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Research collaboration and policy consultation City of Paris |
| Collaborator Contribution | Research collaboration and policy consultation City of Paris |
| Impact | Special issue of International Journal of Urban and Regional Research on social mix in the global city. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | visting professor UVA (G Bridge) |
| Organisation | University of Amsterdam |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Research collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | Research collaboration |
| Impact | Boterman W and Bridge G Gender and gentrification in the field of parenthood: comparing middle class fractions in London and Amsterdam Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers (forthcoming) |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | visting professorship Paris Ouest, Nanterre (G Bridge) |
| Organisation | Paris West University Nanterre La Défense |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Research collaboration post |
| Collaborator Contribution | Research consultation and bid planning |
| Impact | none as yet |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Peckham consultations |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On-going involvement in community forums such as the Peckham Co-Design Project n the future of Peckham Rye station and on the future of commerce in the area. Offering on-going expert advice |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Policy Bristol |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | a policy briefing to selected policy makers and other stakeholders. It increased information requests on the project. Information sharing |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Radio France Internationale |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | increased information requests on the project. Increased academic interest in project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Thinking Allowed |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was an interview given by Emma Jackson on radio 4 Thinking Allowed programme reporting the results of the project. it resulted in increased online interest in the project, especially in certain community forums such as Peckham Complex. Dissemination to a wide public audience through the broadcast and added online interest in the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |