Towards undivided cities: the potential of economic revitalisation and housing redifferentiation

The 'undivided city' has become a major policy aim of today's local urban politicians. Therefore, adequate insight in the relevant dimensions affecting the urban social divide seems to be required, if only to be able to formulate proper policy strategies. However, whereas the literature reveals that various factors are responsible for the rise of divided cities, with perhaps global economic restructuring processes and welfare state differences as the most central elements to the understanding of divisions in cities, local politicians tend to focus on local (area-based) policies. These relevant dimensions, their relative position and the potential of local-based urban policies are the subjects of this special issue. Special attention will be given to the local economic revitalisation and local housing redifferentiation strategies. A simultaneous consideration of relevant dimensions at local, national and global level seems to be required to attain a better understanding of (un)divided cities.