CP: Local vs Distant Place

Question 1

Describe the population structure of Oxford:

Answer 1

• 154 600 residents
• Largest proportion of full time students in an urban area
• Compared to the rest of Oxfordshire it is the most ethnically diverse
• Uneven ethnic diversity, eg. Summertown vs Cowley
• Youngest median age of any place in England + Wales

Question 2

Describe the economic characteristics of Oxford:

Answer 2

• High levels of employment
• Unemployment rate is below national average (3.1 % < 4.3%)
• Most of the jobs are in education (28%), health (19%) and IT/business (20%)

Question 3

Describe the social characteristics of Oxford:

Answer 3

• 25% of children live below poverty line
• 10/83 areas in 20% most deprived
• Summertown = 75% have a degree, in 10% least deprived areas in UK
• Cowley/Leys = 15% have a degree, in 20% most deprived in UK

Question 4

How is Oxford represented in the media?

Answer 4

• Lewis/Endeavour - historic city, open countryside and stately homes.
• ‘The Riot Club’ - posh colleges/traditional/elitist

Question 5

Describe people’s lived experience of Oxford:

Answer 5

• Nutrition business 9NINE ranked Oxford as having the highest level of general life satisfaction
• Former student described it as ‘a gateway to hell […] a bitter, lonely, rather boring place’

Question 6

What are the conflicts within Oxford?

Answer 6

• Average house prices are 17.3 times average earnings
• Unaffordable for most residents

Question 7

Describe the population structure of Brick Lane:

Answer 7

• 12,578 residents
• 41% Bangladeshi population
• Rich ethnic + religious mix due to migratory movement since 19th century
• High proportion of 20-40 year olds

Question 8

Describe the economic characteristics of Brick Lane:

Answer 8

• Balance between economic sectors
• Unemployment rate is above national average (6.7 % > 4.3%)
• 80.1% are economically active

Question 9

Describe the social characteristics of Brick Lane:

Answer 9

• 39% of children live below poverty line
• Spitalfields + Banglatown ranked as most deprived area in all of London - has improved since 2010
• 4 schools are needing improvement, 2 are inadequate

Question 10

How is Brick Lane represented in the media?

Answer 10

• Monocle Ali novel + film ‘Brick Lane 2003’ = changing prosperity of area as it becomes more fashionable
• Lonely Planet (guidebook)= ‘full of noise, colour + life, Brick Lane is a vibrant mix of history + modernity’

Question 11

Describe peoples lived experience of Brick Lane:

Answer 11

• Sarah Garnham, blogger = presents as vibrant and busy
• Sally Flood, poet = culturally diverse, demonstrates change over time, also uses negative words ‘exploited’ + ‘bullies’

Question 12

What are the conflicts within Brick Lane?

Answer 12

• Anti-gentrification protests in Spitalfields, 2015
• Attacks against overpriced cereal cafe
• Sally Flood poetry describes loss of community due to developments ‘small street is fast receding, the houses swept away’