Belonging in working-class neighbourhoods: dis-identification, territorialisation and biographies of people and place
Dr Jenny Preece
(University of Sheffield, Urban Studies and Planning)
Research Description
The research explores how people construct a sense of belonging in two post-industrial neighbourhoods: Grimsby and Sheffield. It argues that experiences of low-paid, precarious work undermine the historic role that employment has played in identity construction for many individuals, and that places perform a crucial function in anchoring people’s lives and identities. The research describes how participants generated a sense of belonging in places that have been dismissed as obsolete, lacking, and marginal. It explains the value of these places for those who live there, reaffirming the need for place-based strategies that are rooted in an in-depth understanding of communities.
Full Entry Title
Preece, J. (2020) 'Belonging in working-class neighbourhoods: dis-identification, territorialisation and biographies of people and place'. Urban Studies, 57(4), pp827-843, doi.org/10.1177/0042098019868087
