Networked Urbanism: Social Capital in the City

This collection explores some of the limits, and possibilities, of social capital perspectives for understanding entrenched urban inequalities and, more generally, the changing sociospatial landscapes of contemporary urbanism. An invaluable resource for anyone concerned with the debate on social capital, within or beyond cities. Neil Brenner, New York University, USA In spite of considerable interest in social capital amongst urban policy makers and academics alike, there is currently little direct focus on its urban dimensions. In this volume, leading urban researchers from the Netherlands, the UK, USA, Australia, Italy and France explore the nature of social networks and the significance of voluntary associations for contemporary urban life. Networked Urbanism shows that there is currently a sense of crisis in the cohesion of the city which has led to public attempts to encourage networking, and the fostering of 'social capital'. However, the contributors collectively demonstrate how changing forms of 'networked urbanism' have broken from the kind of textured urban communities that existed in the past, revealing a need to recognize that new forms of exclusionary social capital are being generated, which fail to significantly resolve the problems of poor residents, whilst strengthening the position of the advantaged. Grounded in theoretical reflection and empirical research, 'Networked Urbanism' will be controversial, and will be of interest to scholars and students of sociology, geography, and urban studies, as well as to policy makers. Contents: Introduction: Social capital and networked urbanism, Talja Blokland and Mike Savage. Section 1 Social Capital and the End of Urbanism: The end to urbanism: how the changing spatial structure of cities affected its social capital potentials, Talja Blokland and Douglas Rae; The flowing enclave and the misanthropy of networked affluence, Rowland G. Atkinson; Place, space and race: monopolistic group closure and the dark side of social capital, Bruce D. Haynes and Jesus Hernandez. Section 2 Networks and Urban Social capital: A new place, a new network? Social capital effects of residential relocation for poor women, Alexandra M. Curley; The weakness of weak ties. Social capital to get ahead among the urban poor in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Taljia Blokland and Floris Noordhoff; Middle class neighbourhood attachment in Paris and Milan: partial exit and profound rootedness, Alberta Andreotti and Patrick Le Galès. Section 3 Urban Associations and Social Capital: Gardening with a little help from your (middle class) friends: bridging social capital across race and class in a mixed neighbourhood, Talja Blokland; Political participation, social networks and the city, Mike Savage, Gindo Tampubolon and Alan Warde; Conserving the part of a quiet suburb: urban politics, association networks and speaking for 'the community', Fiona Devine, Peter Halfpenny, Nadia Joanne Britton and Rosemary Mellor; Social capital and the formation of London's middle classes, Tim Butler; Index. About the Author: Talja Blokland is researcher in urban renewal and housing at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Mike Savage is Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, UK.