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Research subject

The role of settlement organisations as community builders in contemporary cities; a comparative study of Bristol and Birmingham.

Primary supervisor:ÌýProfessor Mike Raco
Secondary supervisor:ÌýDr Amy Horton
Starting date:ÌýOctober 2021
Projected completion date:ÌýDecember 2025

Austerity cuts, the commodification of services and hollowing out of local government that characterised the 2010s has led to significant increases in social and economic inequality. The related failures in urban governance have resulted in what some refer to as ‘left behind places,’ areas with weak infrastructure, low levels of investment and poor access to services. This is the context in which this study will examine the role of Wellspring and Birmingham settlement community organisations – also known as Community Anchors (CAOs) - in strengthening communities in BartonÌýHill, Bristol and Ladywood, Birmingham. It will undertake a comparative study of their work, the impact this has on local communities and how this is reflected within the contrasting systems of governance through which decisions are made and resources allocated. Situated in an Institutional Logics Approach (ILA) theoretical frame, empirical research will focus on regeneration schemes in each area, as strong examples of the community support role settlements play, within the operating realities created by austerity urbanism; how they influence decision-making through systems of governance; and how they navigate the different institutional realms involved.

In Bristol, this will be the new Temple Quarter development, a substantial state-led urban regeneration scheme intended to re-model East Bristol; in Birmingham, it will be the new multi-site operations of Birmingham Settlement, testing a new approach to cross-community integration through co-created partnership delivery.

Findings will be generated through qualitative methodology. Using critical discourse analysis, policy documents, archives and council reports will provide data on the demographics, histories, and key policy influences of both areas. Primary research will be undertaken with community members, settlement stakeholders, and city council/other state institution staff. Methods used will include semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and workshop-style discussion forums using video, sound recording, and mind-mapping techniques. Findings will be shared across CAO membership networks, to raise awareness, inform policy and identify priorities for sector development. Recommendations for local action will be co-created through focus group deliberation techniques, as part of proposed research legacy in both areas.

Biogrpahy

Ben’s background spans over 30 years’ in management and leadership roles in civil society organisations, working across academia, public and private sectors. Building on this he now works as a leadership coach for new and early stage charity CEOs alongside interim and consultancy roles in ‘new economy’ and community action civil society organisations.

His PhD research builds on the Social and Cultural Geography MA (Birkbeck, 2020 – distinction), into the role of civil society as an urban commons. It draws on his experience of community action, in exploring the relationship between the (shadow) state and civil society. With an interest in power relations, nature of state co-option and impact of financialisation on communities furthest from power, Ben’s workÌýexplores how new forms of support, representation and resistance can increase equity and local control.

Teaching

• Postgraduate Teaching Assistant on BPLN0037 Spatial Planning: Concepts and Contexts - 2022
• Postgraduate Teaching Assistant on BPLN0030 Major Infrastructure Planning Practice – 2022/23
• Postgraduate Teaching Assistant on BPLN0099 Real Estate Development - 2023

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