One London? Change and cohesion in three London boroughs

Article

This short paper, commissioned by the Government Office for London, explores the nature of the contemporary challenges to community cohesion in London and sets out how local actors have responded to them.

London is one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in the world. It is a place of extraordinary cultural diversity and economic opportunity, attracting investment, tourism and migration from across the globe. While most Londoners welcome the opportunities this brings, change can also lead to insecurity and anxiety. When combined with inequalities in access to limited resources, these changes can breathe new life into all-too-familiar tensions and prejudices.

This short paper, commissioned by the Government Office for London, explores the nature of the contemporary challenges to community cohesion in London and sets out how local actors have responded to them.

The paper is based on research undertaken in three London boroughs that differ from one another in important respects: Barking and Dagenham, Hounslow and Southwark.

Related items

  1. Adults standing in a circle and talking to each other about their mental wellbeing. There is a staff member sitting to the left of them in the frame sitting next to a table. The community centre is located in Seaton Deleval in the North East of England.

    What is the left for?: The case for a politics of reciprocism

    Liberal democratic capitalism has failed to give many people good lives, and the future looks less promising than the past. 

  2. Wildfires and climate change | Dave Hawkey from IPPR Scotland speaks to Lewis Goodall on LBC

    Europe’s heatwaves and the wildfires in the Cairngorms are a stark reminder that climate extremes are here.  The Scottish government must act now with a clear plan to prepare for what's coming.

  3. “I feel quite unsettled and unsafe”: Young people, belonging, and the broken promise of childhood

    Young people in England feel less secure, supported and connected than a decade ago. Based on nearly 200 conversations, this blog explores why childhood feels more stressful and less joyful.