Urban Communities

'Community' is a much used yet little understood term. Through a set of detailed case studies of communities in action this book examines the sources of community activism, the ways in which communities define themselves, and are defined by outsiders, and the nature of the interface between communities and public agencies via partnerships.

This book looks at how community capacity building is delivered within neighbourhood regeneration programmes, focusing on the key issue of resourcing. This review is framed within the context of the government's emerging national strategy for neighbourhood renewal, and the New Commitment to Regeneration initiative.

This report provides an in-depth study of factors that influence the effectiveness of urban regeneration partnerships, and how they work within the national policy context. It highlights the key lessons of partnership, exploring good practice in leadership, visioning and consensus building,

and the translation of vision into workable objectives.

Community involvement is seen as essential for urban regeneration, but it often proves elusive. The UK government has identified 'faith communities' as an important resource. This report explores the present and potential contribution of religious communities and their members, and the tensions and controversies involved in engaging with 'faith'.

This moving book about the lives of families in London's East End gives important new insights into neighbourhood relations (including race relations), through the eyes of the local community. Using an up-to-date account of life in East London, the authors illustrate how cities faced with neighbourhoods in decline are changing.

This report explores the ways in which schools serving two economically and socially disadvantaged urban areas have attempted to balance their educational aims with growing demands to engage in community life. It focuses on the relationship between the schools and their communities and on outcomes in terms of individual and community development.

Poverty street addresses one of the UK's major social policy concerns: the gap between the poorest neighbourhoods and the rest of the country. It is an account of neighbourhood decline, a portrait of conditions in the most disadvantaged areas and an up-to-date analysis of the impact of the government's neighbourhood renewal policies.

How a neighbourhood is viewed can affect the lives of those who live there and the attitudes and behaviour of others towards them. This report examines the increasing use and sophistication of Internet-Based Neighbourhood Information Systems and considers their potential impact on how neighbourhoods are viewed. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk

This book uses historical and contemporary materials to document the ways in which policy-makers, in different eras, have sought to use state powers and regulations to create better, more balanced, and sustainable communities and citizens. 

This report follows the progress of twenty very different neighbourhood organisations across three countries to explore the opportunities and challenges of neighbourhood renewal from a community perspective.

A free pdf version of this report is available online at www.jrf.org.uk

Understanding the dynamics of population turnover or migration driving area change is key to improving efforts at neighbourhood regeneration and developing mixed or sustainable communities. This report provides the first analysis of neighbourhood migration flows for the whole of England and Scotland.

A free pdf is available at www.jrf.org.uk

This report examines how different people use public spaces and analyses how social interactions vary by age, gender or place.

A free pdf version of this report is available online at www.jrf.org.uk