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Papers by Derek Antrobus

P3t Journal of Public Policies and Territory, 2012

There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly ... more There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly advanced in the United Kingdom where it is dominant in political ideologies. Although superficially attractive, 'localism' is a fuzzy concept which can lead to discordant views about what constitutes 'the local'. It also evades the reality of the importance of spatial connectivity. The paper suggests that a politics of scale, which celebrates the local, yet recognises that resource allocation and spatial planning need to take place at the appropriate scale, is preferred to a politics that privileges one scale. KEY WORDS: localism, politics of scale, globalism RESUMEN Actualmente, en la política europea, se ha incrementado el discurso sobre el localismo, especialmente en el Reino Unido dónde se ha convertido en un concepto dominante en las ideologías políticas. Aunque resulta superficialmente atractivo, "localismo" es un concepto difuso que puede dar lugar a puntos de vista discordantes sobre lo que constituye "lo local". Elude también la realidad de la importancia de la conectividad espacial. El artículo, que elogia "lo local", sin embargo, defiende que es preferible la asignación de recursos y ordenamiento espacial en una escala adecuada a una política que privilegia una sola escala. PALABRAS CLAVE: localismo, políticas de escala, globalización RESUM Actualment, a la política europea, s'ha incrementat el discurs sobre el 'localisme', especialment en el Regne Unit on s'ha convertit en concepte dominant de les ideologies polítiques. Encara que resulta superficialment atractiu, "localisme" és un concepte difús que pot generar mirades discordants sobre allò que constitueix "el local", i pot invisibilitzar la importància de la connectivitat espacial. L'article suggereix la política d'escala, que reconeix "el local", i defensa que és preferible dur a terme una assignació de recursos i un ordenament espacial en una escala adequada abans que privilegiar políticament a una sola escala.

This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban i... more This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban identities have been associated historically with how cities have connected to wider socioeconomic flows. The impact of those connections has had uneven and unpredicted consequences on city spaces, from creating squalor and overcrowding to dividing and marginalising some spaces. These impacts created a specific identity for Salford. Future transformations may depend on the way cities shape their identity.

Local Environment, 2010

Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative cl... more Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative class” whose ability to innovate and transform – particularly in the media and cultural sectors – offers urban economies a competitive edge. This paper argues that, in the face of dangerous climate change, the creativity of the “not-so-cool” sectors needs to be acknowledged and valued. A case

P3T - Journal of Public Policies and Territories, 2012

There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly ... more There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly advanced in the United Kingdom where it is dominant in political ideologies. Although superficially attractive, 'localism' is a fuzzy concept which can lead to discordant views about what constitutes 'the local'. It also evades the reality of the importance of spatial connectivity. The paper suggests that a politics of scale, which celebrates the local, yet recognises that resource allocation and spatial planning need to take place at the appropriate scale, is preferred to a politics that privileges one scale.

Participation is held up to be inherently a good thing. But there are many types of participation... more Participation is held up to be inherently a good thing. But there are many types of participation and the key issue is to ensure that the mode of participation is appropriate to the decision-making involved. The main tension is between devolving power in decision-making to the right scale and the danger of the "tyranny of small decisions" where local vested interests subvert the wider public interest.

Urban Research & Practice, 2011

It is possible to detect a shift in the way we think about environmental issues, in particular cl... more It is possible to detect a shift in the way we think about environmental issues, in particular climate change, from what academics call ‘ecological modernization’ to what can be termed ‘resilient cities’. This is both a consequence and a cause of city regions emerging as the pragmatic scale of governance. This article will use a case study of Greater Manchester in the northwest of England to show how thinking on the environment was centred around ‘ecological modernization’ with an emphasis on business opportunities associated with a move to a low-carbon economy. It will argue that this approach has been enhanced by a new focus on resilience. The case study will use examples of the Ecocities project, green infrastructure and flood risk to show how a concern for resilience has emerged. It will then revisit the issue of energy to show how the new concerns have influenced the low-carbon strategy.

Local Environment, 2010

Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative cl... more Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative class” whose ability to innovate and transform – particularly in the media and cultural sectors – offers urban economies a competitive edge. This paper argues that, in the face of dangerous climate change, the creativity of the “not-so-cool” sectors needs to be acknowledged and valued. A case study of Salford in the north-west of England shows how political, technological and economic creativity has secured sustainable regeneration within a floodplain. It is argued that the concept of “creativity” in urban economic discourse needs to be widened to acknowledge the importance of the creativity of planners, civil engineers and builders in securing environmentally sustainable cities. Environmental sustainability, it suggests, not only underpins economic sustainability. Faced with dangerous climate change and society's need to respond, the skills and expertise can in themselves contribute to a city's competitiveness.

Unpublished MSc Dissertation, 2009

Forum of Peripheral Local Authorities seminar paper, 2009

North West Geography: Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society, 2009

This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban i... more This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban identities have been associated historically with how cities have connected to wider socio-economic flows. The impact of those connections has had uneven and unpredicted consequences on city spaces, from creating squalor and overcrowding to dividing and marginalising some spaces. These impacts created a specific identity for Salford. Future transformations may depend on the way cities shape their identity.

Unpublished MA dissertation, 2005

Cities are key sites for strategies aimed at implementing 'sustainability' or 'sustainable develo... more Cities are key sites for strategies aimed at implementing 'sustainability' or 'sustainable development'. This is because cities are seen as either major producers of environmental bads or spaces of hope for environmental progress. States and supranational institutions have sought to operationalise notions of 'sustainability' within that local context. Two dominant models of how local political behaviour is constructed are the network and hierarchical modes of governance. One reading of the literature suggests that in the 1990s networks -specifically European Union wide networks -were the dominant influence on local government. Since 2000 the UK Government has sought to regulate local government more closely with respect to 'sustainability' and the most recent official publications suggest that regulation will be strengthened. This dissertation asks whether this is a sufficiently robust description and evaluates the prospects for success of the two modes. It identifies key research questions in Chapter 1 before exploring, in Chapter 2, four theoretical perspectives that seek to explain the construction of local policy. Chapter 3 considers three case studies, critically reviewing each in terms of the theory. These are summarised in Chapter 4 before Chapter 5 concludes with a critical analysis. The analysis finds that the models are inadequate to capture the complexity of relationships and suggests that Cox's notion of 'spaces of engagement' combined with actor-network theory may offer a richer understanding of how notions of 'sustainability' are constructed locally. Empowering actors across scales appears more effective than cascading down élite values -whether through hierarchies or networks.

Local History by Derek Antrobus

ost people associate vegetarianism with beards, sandals and the 1960s. That comes across strongly... more ost people associate vegetarianism with beards, sandals and the 1960s. That comes across strongly in the media. Even sympathetic academics fall into the trap. Daniel Dombrowski, for example, argues that vegetarianism died in ancient times only to undergo a Phoenix-like revival in the late 20 th century. Not so long ago the British Independent on Sunday newspaper carried a rather interesting feature about vegetarianism being seen as less and less cranky. This story of vegetarianism as either a Phoenix or a fad serves only to marginalise vegetarianism. But this story is a particularly modern and Eurocentric judgment. Eurocentric because in many cultures it is meat-eating which is seen as cranky and vegetarianism which is the norm. Modern because it plays down the extent to which vegetarianism-although not dominantwas part of mainstream Victorian culture. I am constantly astonished at the remarkable fact, for example, that in Manchester in the 1880s there were more vegetarian restaurants than there were in the 1970s. And the largest of these establishments was a club which boasted smoking rooms, reading rooms, two dining rooms and a lecture theatre to which they would resort after a meal for talks justifying their diet: even then, vegetarians wanted the proof after their pudding! One reason for such a number of vegetarian restaurants was because the founders of the modern vegetarian movement came, in the main, from Manchester and its neighbouring city, Salford, the latter made famous by the images of L S Lowry.

THIS paper tests the hypothesis that the 19 th century nonconformist community used municipal pow... more THIS paper tests the hypothesis that the 19 th century nonconformist community used municipal power to impose their moral agenda on a locality. A case study of Salford, in the years following its incorporation of 1844, examines the strength of the local élite's ideology with respect to drink and considers the evidence for any partiality in policing orders. The project draws on the evidence of contemporary official documents and newspaper reports. It concludes that policing was not a priority for nonconformist politicians who concentrated on providing counterattractions to drink and that nonconformists vs Anglican conflict over the issue was not in evidence.

Working class quietism in the mid-19 th century British cities is often attributed to the recruit... more Working class quietism in the mid-19 th century British cities is often attributed to the recruitment of its leadership into a liberal ideology through the adoption of an ethic of self-improvement. This paper points to an alternative explanation, that Evangelical Christianity combined with paternalistic Toryism to provide the basis for the suppression of working class aspirations. The evidence is explored through a case study of the work of the Rev Hugh Stowell -the leading Evangelical churchman in Manchester and Salford between 1825 to 1865. He sought to avert working class agitation using an ideology based on order and conformity. This ideology was materialised in institutions such as temperance organisations, social work, and working class associations and campaigns against secular education and catholic emancipation. The paper concludes that Stowell's project contributed towards a conservative middle-class identity which competed with the liberal identity seen to dominate Victorian urban elites. The evidence for an impact on working class identity is inconclusive.

P3t Journal of Public Policies and Territory, 2012

There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly ... more There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly advanced in the United Kingdom where it is dominant in political ideologies. Although superficially attractive, 'localism' is a fuzzy concept which can lead to discordant views about what constitutes 'the local'. It also evades the reality of the importance of spatial connectivity. The paper suggests that a politics of scale, which celebrates the local, yet recognises that resource allocation and spatial planning need to take place at the appropriate scale, is preferred to a politics that privileges one scale. KEY WORDS: localism, politics of scale, globalism RESUMEN Actualmente, en la política europea, se ha incrementado el discurso sobre el localismo, especialmente en el Reino Unido dónde se ha convertido en un concepto dominante en las ideologías políticas. Aunque resulta superficialmente atractivo, "localismo" es un concepto difuso que puede dar lugar a puntos de vista discordantes sobre lo que constituye "lo local". Elude también la realidad de la importancia de la conectividad espacial. El artículo, que elogia "lo local", sin embargo, defiende que es preferible la asignación de recursos y ordenamiento espacial en una escala adecuada a una política que privilegia una sola escala. PALABRAS CLAVE: localismo, políticas de escala, globalización RESUM Actualment, a la política europea, s'ha incrementat el discurs sobre el 'localisme', especialment en el Regne Unit on s'ha convertit en concepte dominant de les ideologies polítiques. Encara que resulta superficialment atractiu, "localisme" és un concepte difús que pot generar mirades discordants sobre allò que constitueix "el local", i pot invisibilitzar la importància de la connectivitat espacial. L'article suggereix la política d'escala, que reconeix "el local", i defensa que és preferible dur a terme una assignació de recursos i un ordenament espacial en una escala adequada abans que privilegiar políticament a una sola escala.

This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban i... more This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban identities have been associated historically with how cities have connected to wider socioeconomic flows. The impact of those connections has had uneven and unpredicted consequences on city spaces, from creating squalor and overcrowding to dividing and marginalising some spaces. These impacts created a specific identity for Salford. Future transformations may depend on the way cities shape their identity.

Local Environment, 2010

Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative cl... more Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative class” whose ability to innovate and transform – particularly in the media and cultural sectors – offers urban economies a competitive edge. This paper argues that, in the face of dangerous climate change, the creativity of the “not-so-cool” sectors needs to be acknowledged and valued. A case

P3T - Journal of Public Policies and Territories, 2012

There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly ... more There is a growing discourse about 'localism' in the European polity which has been particularly advanced in the United Kingdom where it is dominant in political ideologies. Although superficially attractive, 'localism' is a fuzzy concept which can lead to discordant views about what constitutes 'the local'. It also evades the reality of the importance of spatial connectivity. The paper suggests that a politics of scale, which celebrates the local, yet recognises that resource allocation and spatial planning need to take place at the appropriate scale, is preferred to a politics that privileges one scale.

Participation is held up to be inherently a good thing. But there are many types of participation... more Participation is held up to be inherently a good thing. But there are many types of participation and the key issue is to ensure that the mode of participation is appropriate to the decision-making involved. The main tension is between devolving power in decision-making to the right scale and the danger of the "tyranny of small decisions" where local vested interests subvert the wider public interest.

Urban Research & Practice, 2011

It is possible to detect a shift in the way we think about environmental issues, in particular cl... more It is possible to detect a shift in the way we think about environmental issues, in particular climate change, from what academics call ‘ecological modernization’ to what can be termed ‘resilient cities’. This is both a consequence and a cause of city regions emerging as the pragmatic scale of governance. This article will use a case study of Greater Manchester in the northwest of England to show how thinking on the environment was centred around ‘ecological modernization’ with an emphasis on business opportunities associated with a move to a low-carbon economy. It will argue that this approach has been enhanced by a new focus on resilience. The case study will use examples of the Ecocities project, green infrastructure and flood risk to show how a concern for resilience has emerged. It will then revisit the issue of energy to show how the new concerns have influenced the low-carbon strategy.

Local Environment, 2010

Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative cl... more Creative cities are generally considered as “cool” spaces which attract a particular “creative class” whose ability to innovate and transform – particularly in the media and cultural sectors – offers urban economies a competitive edge. This paper argues that, in the face of dangerous climate change, the creativity of the “not-so-cool” sectors needs to be acknowledged and valued. A case study of Salford in the north-west of England shows how political, technological and economic creativity has secured sustainable regeneration within a floodplain. It is argued that the concept of “creativity” in urban economic discourse needs to be widened to acknowledge the importance of the creativity of planners, civil engineers and builders in securing environmentally sustainable cities. Environmental sustainability, it suggests, not only underpins economic sustainability. Faced with dangerous climate change and society's need to respond, the skills and expertise can in themselves contribute to a city's competitiveness.

Unpublished MSc Dissertation, 2009

Forum of Peripheral Local Authorities seminar paper, 2009

North West Geography: Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society, 2009

This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban i... more This paper suggests that, using evidence from a case study of Salford, transformations in urban identities have been associated historically with how cities have connected to wider socio-economic flows. The impact of those connections has had uneven and unpredicted consequences on city spaces, from creating squalor and overcrowding to dividing and marginalising some spaces. These impacts created a specific identity for Salford. Future transformations may depend on the way cities shape their identity.

Unpublished MA dissertation, 2005

Cities are key sites for strategies aimed at implementing 'sustainability' or 'sustainable develo... more Cities are key sites for strategies aimed at implementing 'sustainability' or 'sustainable development'. This is because cities are seen as either major producers of environmental bads or spaces of hope for environmental progress. States and supranational institutions have sought to operationalise notions of 'sustainability' within that local context. Two dominant models of how local political behaviour is constructed are the network and hierarchical modes of governance. One reading of the literature suggests that in the 1990s networks -specifically European Union wide networks -were the dominant influence on local government. Since 2000 the UK Government has sought to regulate local government more closely with respect to 'sustainability' and the most recent official publications suggest that regulation will be strengthened. This dissertation asks whether this is a sufficiently robust description and evaluates the prospects for success of the two modes. It identifies key research questions in Chapter 1 before exploring, in Chapter 2, four theoretical perspectives that seek to explain the construction of local policy. Chapter 3 considers three case studies, critically reviewing each in terms of the theory. These are summarised in Chapter 4 before Chapter 5 concludes with a critical analysis. The analysis finds that the models are inadequate to capture the complexity of relationships and suggests that Cox's notion of 'spaces of engagement' combined with actor-network theory may offer a richer understanding of how notions of 'sustainability' are constructed locally. Empowering actors across scales appears more effective than cascading down élite values -whether through hierarchies or networks.

ost people associate vegetarianism with beards, sandals and the 1960s. That comes across strongly... more ost people associate vegetarianism with beards, sandals and the 1960s. That comes across strongly in the media. Even sympathetic academics fall into the trap. Daniel Dombrowski, for example, argues that vegetarianism died in ancient times only to undergo a Phoenix-like revival in the late 20 th century. Not so long ago the British Independent on Sunday newspaper carried a rather interesting feature about vegetarianism being seen as less and less cranky. This story of vegetarianism as either a Phoenix or a fad serves only to marginalise vegetarianism. But this story is a particularly modern and Eurocentric judgment. Eurocentric because in many cultures it is meat-eating which is seen as cranky and vegetarianism which is the norm. Modern because it plays down the extent to which vegetarianism-although not dominantwas part of mainstream Victorian culture. I am constantly astonished at the remarkable fact, for example, that in Manchester in the 1880s there were more vegetarian restaurants than there were in the 1970s. And the largest of these establishments was a club which boasted smoking rooms, reading rooms, two dining rooms and a lecture theatre to which they would resort after a meal for talks justifying their diet: even then, vegetarians wanted the proof after their pudding! One reason for such a number of vegetarian restaurants was because the founders of the modern vegetarian movement came, in the main, from Manchester and its neighbouring city, Salford, the latter made famous by the images of L S Lowry.

THIS paper tests the hypothesis that the 19 th century nonconformist community used municipal pow... more THIS paper tests the hypothesis that the 19 th century nonconformist community used municipal power to impose their moral agenda on a locality. A case study of Salford, in the years following its incorporation of 1844, examines the strength of the local élite's ideology with respect to drink and considers the evidence for any partiality in policing orders. The project draws on the evidence of contemporary official documents and newspaper reports. It concludes that policing was not a priority for nonconformist politicians who concentrated on providing counterattractions to drink and that nonconformists vs Anglican conflict over the issue was not in evidence.

Working class quietism in the mid-19 th century British cities is often attributed to the recruit... more Working class quietism in the mid-19 th century British cities is often attributed to the recruitment of its leadership into a liberal ideology through the adoption of an ethic of self-improvement. This paper points to an alternative explanation, that Evangelical Christianity combined with paternalistic Toryism to provide the basis for the suppression of working class aspirations. The evidence is explored through a case study of the work of the Rev Hugh Stowell -the leading Evangelical churchman in Manchester and Salford between 1825 to 1865. He sought to avert working class agitation using an ideology based on order and conformity. This ideology was materialised in institutions such as temperance organisations, social work, and working class associations and campaigns against secular education and catholic emancipation. The paper concludes that Stowell's project contributed towards a conservative middle-class identity which competed with the liberal identity seen to dominate Victorian urban elites. The evidence for an impact on working class identity is inconclusive.