Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book proposes the theory that the relationship between urban decay and the creation of deprived neighbourhoods is more complex and that to some extent the relationship is two-way in the sense that urban decay creates segregation. It introduces a concept called ‘exclusion of places’ to clarify why neighbourhoods with the same starting point can have different fates. The book shows that one of the main reasons for the disagreement among researchers on the effects of area-based initiatives has been an inadequate understanding of the nature of deprived urban areas. It also proposes an alternative understanding that sees segregation as a product of both social and spatial inequality. Spatial segregation means that different social or cultural groups are separated in space and have settled in different parts of cities.