Urban Growth and Attitudes to Cities

Urban Social and Cultural Change in the UK

In this course, Dr Heather Barrett (University of Worcester) explores urban social and cultural change in the UK. In the first module, we examine urban growth and changing attitudes towards cities since the 19th century, from the more positive views that drove early urbanisation to negative perceptions which led to later suburbanisation. The second module looks at the socio-spatial organisation of contemporary UK cities, with a particular focus on “residential segregation” - patterns in where different groups of people live. In the third module, we consider inequalities, both with regard to the uneven distribution of deprivation between rural and urban areas, and divisions between wealthier and poorer areas within cities. The fourth module then thinks about the particular issue of gentrification, in terms of its definition, its drivers, and debates around its consequences for cities and communities. We conclude with a fifth module on urban cultures and the growing importance of rebranding and place-promotion for UK cities.

Urban Growth and Attitudes to Cities

In this module, we think about urban growth in the UK and changing attitudes to cities since the 19th century. We focus on: (i) the historical process of urbanisation, defined primarily as migration to cities from rural areas, which saw the UK become majority urban by the mid-19th century; (ii) the urban pull and rural push factors which led to urbanisation in this period, such as greater economic opportunities in cities; (iii) issues associated with this rapid urbanisation, such as poor sanitation and crime, and the growth of negative attitudes towards cities; (iv) the process of suburbanisation from the late-19th century, as wealthier groups began to move away from inner city areas in response to growing urban problems, and the issue of urban sprawl; (v) international migration as a key dynamic affecting UK cities, particularly from the mid-20th century, and Birmingham as an example of a “super-diverse” city.