| Abstract: | The reasons for the recent revival of the debate about the inner cities and its implications for geographical thinking are analysed. Changing government policies towards inner cities since the initial declaration of intent by the Labour government in 1968 are described, and the more recent Conservative government emphasis upon privatization, enterprise, deregulation and flexibility is discussed. Academic interest currently focuses on the way in which the terms of the debate are set politically with the concept of the ‘inner city’ being defined and redefined according to the political priorities of policy-makers. Running parallel with this process is the ‘imagineering’ of place, whereby places are sold on the basis of deliberately created images. Discussion of the London Docklands highlights the mixed record of redevelopment compared with the images purveyed by government and other agencies. A ‘hidden agenda’ (of race or dismantling of local government power) is shown to underlie political rhetoric about inner cities. The inner city thus emerges as a key ideological battleground between contending political groupings. |
