Race, Housing and Community

This book provides an important new contribution to debatesaround housing policy and its impact on community cohesion. There has never been a more prescient time to discuss theseconcepts: the book provides an interpretation of housing, race andcommunity cohesion in a highly politicized and fluid policycontext. It is designed to initiate discussion and debate but thisshould not be esoteric and limited to a group of academics. Ratherthe objective is to bridge academic and policy audiences in thehope that this fusion provides a basis for a new agenda to discussthese topics. Race and community have been key features of social housingpolicy over the last 20 years with many high-profile interventions,from the proactive approach by the Housing Corporation to supportblack and minority ethnic housing associations, to the influentialCantle Report documenting segregation in towns and cities followingriots, and the National Housing Federation led Race & HousingInquiry leading to sector wide recommendations to achieveequality. However, volume of policy interventions and reports has not beenmatched by academic outputs that co-ordinate, integrate andcritically analyse 'race', housing and community. Housing, Race & Community Cohesion is the firstsystematic overview of 'race', housing and community during thistumultuous period. The material presented is robust and researchbased but also directly engages with issues around policy anddelivery. It is designed to reflect the interests both of theacademic research community and policy makers on both sides of theAtlantic. It is not rooted to specific policy interventions thatcould quickly date but instead focuses on developing new ways toanalyse difficult issues that will help both students andpractitioners now and in the future.