Gescheiden werelden. Oude en nieuwe stedelingen in negentiende-eeuwse stadswijken

Samenvatting

Divided worlds. Old and new urbanites in 19th century neighbourhoods. The neighbourhoods dating from the 19th century in the large Dutch cities, like Amsterdam and Rotterdam, are changing rapidly in recent years. They have been transformed from working-class districts into very heterogeneous environments. On the basis of 50 intensive open interviews with people living in a street in an Amsterdam (Oosterparkbuurt) and a Rotterdam neighbourhood (Oude Noorden), it is concluded that very different groups for very different reasons are living in these areas. Responses on questions regarding their socioeconomic status, residence history, daily life organization, and perceptions of the problems and changes in the neighborhood. were arranged along the axes of economic and sociocultural capital, the former determined by net monthly income per household and the latter by father's profession and education. Three kinds of groups are distinguished:1. stayers (people who were born and grew up in the quarter), 2. the Dutch new urbanites, characterized by a high amount of cultural and social capital, and 3. different ethnic minorities. The fact that the members of these different groups stayed to live in these areas is not due to their lacking other opportunities. Their choice to live there can only be understood when their ways of life and life-histories are considered. The different groups appear to have very little in common, except the fact that they don’t belong to the mainstream of Dutch society. But this characteristic is not unifying them. They all consider themselves as outsiders within their neighbourhood. . 2 Tables, 24 References. Modified AA