Metropolitics

Territorial Equality in France: A Historical Perspective

Matthew Wendeln — 2014-06-04T04:50:00Z

Once the basis of French regional planning, the goal of national balance has made a comeback in France under the banner of “territorial equality”. The postwar experience suggests that redistributive regional policies can promote growth in a period of economic turbulence.
Over the past two decades, the twin goals of competition and competitiveness have gained increasing sway in French urban and regional policies (Baudelle and Montabone 2008, p. 3). Following the Left's national victory in

- Essays / France, urban planning, decentralization, territorial development, metropolis, socio-spatial inequalities, regional planning, territorial equality, economic development, metropolitan areas, region

Slumdog Non-Millionaires

Rémi de Bercegol & Shankare Gowda — 2014-05-14T04:50:00Z

In India, the dominant theme of megacities and their development has concealed the significance of small and medium-sized towns. Though numerous, these towns have benefited only marginally from reforms introduced since the 1990s and need to be better taken into consideration if they are to escape poverty.
The poverty of the Indian megalopolises' urban slums was depicted in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). The situation in these huge cities, such as Mumbai (Patel and Masselos 2003), Delhi

- From the Field / decentralization, territorial development, poverty, medium-sized cities, India

The effects of Thatcherism in the urban North of England

Mark Bailoni & translated by Oliver Waine — 2014-04-02T04:50:00Z

The economic policies of Margaret Thatcher's governments polarised not just opinion but also whole swathes of the UK. In particular, the cities of northern England – Labour heartlands in an economically divided country – represented a counterweight during the Thatcher years. Weakened by relative decline and the continued application of Thatcherite policies post-1990, these cities now appear to have converted to a form of governance tailored to territorial competitiveness.
Reactions following

- Essays / decentralization, inequalities, liberalism, deindustrialization, United Kingdom, territorial development, Thatcher, centralism, England

The politics of municipal mergers (and demergers) in Montreal

Richard Harris — 2013-03-06T05:55:00Z

In the late 1990s, the province of Quebec reacted to metropolitan growth in Montreal by merging the city with 27 of its suburbs, provoking a major debate and, ultimately, a number of demergers. An account written by one of the leading opponents to amalgamation (and ex-mayor of one of the demerged suburbs) discusses the experience and the issues at stake, providing a timely counterpoint to the French debate on “Greater Paris”.
Detailed accounts of municipal amalgamation can be exciting. Who

- Reviews / local government, decentralization, governance, democracy, local finance, local governance, local authorities, intercommunality, Montreal, Canada

Social housing in Europe: the end of an era?

Noémie Houard & translated by Oliver Waine — 2012-09-26T04:55:00Z

Although there is no single European model for social housing, there are nevertheless a number of common trends and features in most countries in Europe: delegation to local government, a new focus on fragile populations, reductions in the proportion of social housing. In France, the welfare state is tending to break with its “universalist” vocation in order to target action on increasingly vulnerable populations.
Most works and studies concerning social housing in Europe stress the diversity

- Debates / Europe, decentralization, social diversity, social housing, welfare state, right to housing

Housing: for an act III of the decentralization process

Patrice Lanco & translated by Michael Stokes — 2011-02-18T07:13:51Z

Although housing has not been concerned before now by decentralization, the contrasted realities of local markets have led to the emergence of local housing policies. The author argues that these local experiments should be furthered by a real decentralization of responsibilities and prerogatives as far as housing is concerned. Here he reveals various ways and means for organizing and implementing this.
Concerning housing, a decision was made, during act I of the decentralization process in

- Debates / housing, local government, housing policy, decentralization