Megatrends in the West Midlands: Just City

Liam O’Farrell looks at some of the megatrends associated with the idea of the Just City – how we can harness the transformative power of development to help address social injustices that are starkly visible in cities. This article is part of larger project looking at Megatrends in the West Midlands. Megatrends are major movements … Continue reading “Megatrends in the West Midlands: Just City”

Housing and Spatial Justice – Insights From Three European Cities

Liam O’Farrell considers spatial justice and housing, comparing the UK and its European counterparts. Overcoming common urban social issues Mitigating the segregation of marginalised groups is highly dependent on local context. Nevertheless, comparing a major British city with peers elsewhere in Europe suggests that devolution of decision-making powers and financial resources, along with a commitment … Continue reading “Housing and Spatial Justice – Insights From Three European Cities”

Creating More Just Cities by Supporting Social Housing Tenants Into Work

This blog is based on a recent submission from the Just City project to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Social Mobility, available here. Liam discusses the many challenges faced by those living in social housing in relation to employment, social infrastructure, language and skills deficiencies, and what actions we can take to help … Continue reading “Creating More Just Cities by Supporting Social Housing Tenants Into Work”

City-REDI Weekly Update – 2nd April 2020

Welcome to your weekly update. If you have any feedback please let us know. Blogs Local Resilience and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Economic Crisis In this blog, Dr Tasos Kitsos discusses the economic impact Coronavirus will have on the West Midlands by reflecting on the 2008 economic crash whilst considering the factors at play during this … Continue reading “City-REDI Weekly Update – 2nd April 2020”

Is Birmingham a Just City?

The story of Birmingham’s post-industrial decline in the twentieth century is well known. However, any visitor to the city centre today can’t help but notice its urban renaissance in the twenty-first. From the revitalised New Street station to the glass tower blocks at Snow Hill, major regeneration projects are visually transforming the city. Many of … Continue reading “Is Birmingham a Just City?”

City-REDI at the Tallinn Workshop on “Social Trends, Policy Initiatives and Planning Measures in Large Housing Estates”

My colleague Dr Sara Hassan and I recently attended the Tallinn workshop on housing to present two of the projects City-REDI is currently working on and hear about other interesting research going on in the field of urban studies and planning policy. It was a great experience that gave us both the opportunity to think … Continue reading “City-REDI at the Tallinn Workshop on “Social Trends, Policy Initiatives and Planning Measures in Large Housing Estates””

What is a “Just City”? A research trip to Zürich

In 2014, the number of people across the globe living in urban areas surpassed those living in the countryside for the first time. Cities are where more highly-skilled and better-paid jobs tend to be clustered. They have a wider range of cultural attractions, restaurants, educational and shopping opportunities than rural places. These features encourage in-migration … Continue reading “What is a “Just City”? A research trip to Zürich”

The Democratic Foundations of the Just City: Urban Planning Politics in Three European Cities

In this blog, Dr Charlotte Hoole provides a summary of the paper she presented at the RSA annual conference in Lugano, Switzerland. Her co-authors include Dr Peter Lee (University of Birmingham), Dr Eric Chu (University of Birmingham), Dr Oliver Dlabac (University of Zurich), Roman Zwicky (University of Zurich). The democratic foundations of the Just City: … Continue reading “The Democratic Foundations of the Just City: Urban Planning Politics in Three European Cities”