Annual RC21 Conference 2011

The struggle to belong. Dealing with diversity in 21st century urban settings
Amsterdam (The Netherlands), July 7-9 2011

Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research – Urban Studies
University of Amsterdam – The Netherlands

10. Negotiating social mix in global cities

This session aims to bring together researchers working on social mix and diversity in global cities. We are interested in attracting papers that look at how social mix – both in terms of class and ethnic diversity – is experienced, understood, promoted and encouraged (or not) by the different groups who live and work in the city, including recent incomers, the displaced and more stable populations, residents, business owners, as well as local and national state agencies. We wish to examine how in a time of extensive social change in the city, such groups negotiate the use and definition of particular spaces. While it is inevitable that a certain degree of displacement is experienced as the result of such change, we are also interested in examining cases where a ‘truce’ has been reached – that is, where the outcome is that different groups within the city are finding ways to co-exist. What the nature of this co-existence may be? To what extent can such ‘truce situations’ – if they exist – be described as ‘socially tectonic’ -- i.e., do the various groups slide past each other while having little in terms of meaningful social interaction? What are the range of interventions by the state and other actors, and how successful are they either in promoting social diversity or are they more or less successful agents of social displacement? What roles do local businesses and social agencies, such as schools, play in mitigating or sharpening social divides? Has the economic crisis brought about new configurations of social mix in such areas?
We encourage contributions from scholars around the world and are particularly keen to promote a discussion between scholars from the global north and south on this topic.

Organizers:
Gary Bridge, Bristol University.
Tim Butler, King's College London. tim.butler@kcl.ac.uk

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