contemporary urban environments 2

Question 1

what are examples of urban social and economic issues?

Answer 1

• unemployment
• inflation
• racism
• access to services
• education
• homelessness

Question 2

what is meant by cultural diversity?

Answer 2

existence of variety of cultural/ethnic groups within a society.

Question 3

what is meant by diaspora?

Answer 3

a group of people with similar heritage or homeland who have settled elsewhere in the world.

Question 4

what is meant by economic inequality?

Answer 4

the difference between levels of living standards and income.

Question 5

what is meant by social segregation?

Answer 5

groups of people living apart from the larger population for a variety of factors.

Question 6

what is meant by urban social exclusion?

Answer 6

economic and social problems faced by residents in areas of multiple deprivation.

Question 7

how can we see urban economic inequality?

Answer 7

cities are both physically structured and increasingly socially structured. this has led to economic and social inequality within our urban areas and this has brought with it a wide variety of issues.

Question 8

what is meant by poverty?

Answer 8

an absolute term referring to a poor standard of living. the UN defines absolute poverty as this living on less than $1.90 a day.

Question 9

what is meant by inequality?

Answer 9

refers to the economic and social differences between people at a variety of scales. this is all relative and not like absolute poverty.

Question 10

what factors lead to inequality in urban areas?

Answer 10

• housing. availability and types available
• culture. migrants arrive with different cultures and languages which can make it hard to assimilate and relate
• economic. availability of jobs+pay
• health. availability/access to healthcare.
• religion. certain religions are favoured or resented in some areas
• education. the quality of education available.

Question 11

why is overcrowding in centres an issue?

Answer 11

• easier to spread disease
• lower life expectancy
• higher deprivation

Question 12

what is urban social exclusion?

Answer 12

refers to the issues experienced by those in areas of multiple deprivation. poor education may mean there can’t access a good job and often suitable housing.

the issues above may eventually lead to issues with social cohesion and lead to urban social exclusion.

historically, inner city areas were the most the most deprived following deindustrialisation. however, this is not now always the case with some outskirts estates now a hotbed of crime, unemployment and poor health.

Question 13

what is the spiral of decline leading to inequality and deprivation?

Answer 13

DEINDUSTRIALISATION
manufacturing industries close due to cheaper imports from abroad.
\/
UNEMPLOYMENT
because of job losses
\/
people have more time, less money and fewer opportunities.
\/
PETTY CRIME
often increases
\/
people have LESS MONEY to spend on goods and services
\/
LESS TAXES AND BUSINESS RATES are paid to local council
\/
local council has less to invest in housing, health, roads and education
\/
YOUNG PEOPLE leave school with LOWER QUALIFICATIONS

Question 14

how can we solve issues of public transport in the UK?

Answer 14

most people living in London and other cities are resigned to the high cost of travel:
- 36% of commuters aren’t using quickest journey available to them
- travel to work accounts for almost 1/10 of manual workers average earnings

improvements:
- making it easier to season ticket loans
- reinstatement of off peak travel cards
- concessionary fares and tax free travel for those on low income

Question 15

how can we solve issues of affordable housing in the UK?

Answer 15

affordable housing is housing for sale or rent for those whose needs are not met met by the market. provision of affordable housing is a key element of the governments plan to end the housing crisis.

affordable homes programme provides grant funding to support the development of affordable housing.

130,000 affordable homes to be developed by March 2026.

Question 16

how can we solve issues of environment in the UK?

Answer 16

the UK has strict environmental laws governing pollution waste and living standards.

e.g. the Control of Pollution Act passed to cover a number of environmental issues such as air, noise and water pollution.
1974 - environment protection act is the environmental law in UK that controls waste management and emissions to environment.

Question 17

how can we solve issues of low skilled workers in the UK?

Answer 17

apprenticeships. great way to gain hands on experience whilst gaining a qualification and earning a wage.

available across a range of sectors, from accounting to business, law, engineering.

Question 18

how can we solve issues of education in the UK?

Answer 18

• the pupil premium is additional school funding for disadvantaged children. paid directly to child’s school to improve quality of education.
• schools can be entitled if you receive income support.
• schools get £1320 for every primary age pupil

Question 19

how can we solve issues of fairness commissions in the UK?

Answer 19

in the past 5 years, FC and similar bodies were established in 23 places across the UK.

each commission set out to tackle inequality and poverty at a local level in a context of national government spending cuts.

achievements of commissions to date include:
- improving access to advice services
- boosting membership of credit unions
- raising 1000’s of people from minimum to living wage

Question 20

why are urban areas the most culturally and ethnically diverse places in the UK?

Answer 20

• cheaper homes
• more businesses and jobs
• group with similar groups
• language barriers in rural areas
• better access to services
• mosques

Question 21

why is Birmingham a good example of cultural diversity?

Answer 21

over a 1/3 of inhabitants identifying as non-white, it is the Uk’s most ethnically and culturally diverse city.

this is mostly as a result of voluntary economic migration.

in asian cultures, having a larger, more populated family is considered as normal.

Question 22

what is the Venturi effect?

Answer 22

wind funnelled into arrow urban canyons created by tall buildings, and speeds up as it becomes more restricted.

Question 23

what is the urban heat island?

Answer 23

an urban or metropolitan areas that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities.

Question 24

what is the albedo?

Answer 24

a measure of how much light that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed..

Question 25

what colours mostly and least affect the albedo?

Answer 25

something that appears white reflects most of the light that hits it and has a high albedo.

something that is dark absorbs most of the light that hits it, indicating a low albedo.

Question 26

what is meant by the sky view factor?

Answer 26

the amount of soy we can see without our view being impeded by tall buildings.

Question 27

what are economic issues with cultural diversity?

Answer 27

• migrants nay get labour shortages, esp in service and manufacturing sector.
• the perception of ‘jobs for migrants’ may cause resentment and racial intolerance, particularly during times of economic recession where there are fewer job opportunities.
• these jobs will remain disproportionately in the trade, accommodation and transport sectors that are associated with lower than avg pay.
• in the business and other services sector, there will most likely remain an under representation where pay is higher than average.

Question 28

what are health issues with cultural diversity?

Answer 28

an many ethnic minority groups continue to live in inner city areas, there tends to be a close association with poorer levels of health.

however, this tends to be more as a result of the poorer quality of the built environment than the underlying poor health of the population.

Question 28

what are religious issues with cultural diversity?

Answer 28

migrants may wish to follow their own religious calendars.

this could lead to friction with employers and local communities.

misunderstanding of religious practices such as wearing traditional clothing s also a potential cause of conflict.

Question 29

what are gender issues with cultural diversity?

Answer 29

women from ethnic minorities might adapt from cultural preferences, traditions and norms.

for example, women being the primary caregiver. as a result, women from ethnic minorities will most likely need flexible working hours, which are mostly poorly paid.

Question 30

what are food, culture, music and sport issues with cultural diversity?

Answer 30

all help to support inter-culturalism or blending of cultures.

Question 30

what are language issues with cultural diversity?

Answer 30

if the host country language is not adopted quickly, it will act as a barrier to interaction and restrict employment and education opportunities.