EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - The influence of urban restructuring on social cohesion

The influence of urban restructuring on social cohesion

Introduction

Various research projects in the Netherlands and Great Britain showed that differentiation of residents in a district does not lead to social integration. The middle class does show interest in residences in restructured districts, but social relationships do not materialise.

Description

This research consisted of a literature search, in which the new definition of social cohesion was worked out based on three dimensions, and an analysis of the results of a survey. The surveys were conducted in the restructuring districts of Bouwlust in The Hague and Hoograven in Utrecht. In the analysis, they tried to answer the following research questions:

To what degree do people maintain social contacts with people in the district?
To what extent do people agree on how one should behave in the district?
To what degree does the district play a role in the identity of the residents?
How strong is the relationship between the three dimensions of social cohesion?
To what degree does social cohesion have a positive effect on the feeling of safety in the district and to what degree is there an inhibiting effect on the inclination to move house?

Conclusions

In districts where social mixing is applied the most, cohesion in the neighbourhood is the least. This is because the new housing in the (unpopular) districts is mainly used by people who want to move house again quickly.
There are no differences in social cohesion between new housing and old housing residents. Seeing that there is little contact between the groups, the researchers concluded that restructuring in terms of social cohesion has yielded little.
The perception component and the norms and values component are both important dimensions of social cohesion. These components should then also be considered in follow-up studies in addition to the traditional behaviour component.

Contact info

NETHUR

Publication date

01/05/2005

Researcher

Bolt, G. & M.I. Torrance

Cities

The cities of The Hague and Utrecht

Links

NETHUR

The influence of urban restructuring on social cohesion (PDF, Dut, 560 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

Keywords

Urban restructuring