Neighbourhoods, Welfare and Wellbeing

This research group focuses on social and spatial inequalities and how these shape residential contexts as well as individual and collective outcomes. The group brings together researchers whose primary interest is in the character, dynamics and effects of urban neighbourhoods with those whose research centres on the nature, processes and outcomes of changing aspects of welfare state provision. The group provides a stimulating forum for the development of research themes which integrate scholarship across urban and social policy, demand cutting edge qualitiative and quantitative methodological approaches and capitalise on emerging forms of administrative and ‘big’ data.

Links

Publications of the former Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice 

Themes

Research within the group can be captured by three core research themes:

Neighbourhood change

What aspects of which kinds of neighbourhoods are changing and to what extent? How do, for example, population dynamics, changing patterns of health inequalities, socio-economic segregation and social mixing impact on the character of urban neighbourhoods?  In what ways do (and how might we know if) governmental decisions affect the trajectories of certain kinds of neighbourhoods? How do neighbourhoods relate to other forms of community and identity?

Neighbourhood Effects

How does neighbourhood context impact on the wellbeing of residents, and how do these impacts vary according to the level of affluence within the neighbourhood? How do neighbourhoods differ according to, for example, preservation of heritage, social cohesion and quality of service provision and what are the outcomes for residents in relation to health, crime, education and neighbourhood attachment?

Welfare Restructuring

How are relations between citizens and states changing as welfare is restructured and fiscal austerity rolled out in developed nations? What impact does restructuring have on quality of life within neighbourhoods as well as on poverty, inequality and attitudes to welfare? To what extent are different socio-economic groups effective in capturing the benefits and influencing the shape of state activity and provision? How do more vulnerable social groups experience welfare benefits and services in their everyday implemented forms?

Members

Staff

Doctoral students