The best of times for some and the worst of times for others? Gender and class divisions in urban Britain today

This paper explores the mutual constitution of gender and class in urban Br itain in the light of economic trends of the last 10-15 years. We examine s patialities of gender and class relations, pointing to the centrality of in equalities in post-Fordist restructuring. In this context we draw on eviden ce from two intensive studies, one concerned with gender and gentrification in Edinburgh and the other concerned with households in mortgage arrears i n Swindon. The results highlight both similarities and differences in the g ender-based practices adopted by the two sets of households. Egalitarian ge nder relations were closely associated with lifestyle and consumption choic es available to higher income and highly mobile women. Convergent gender re lations occurred under a range of different employment and household circum stances, relating principally to the presence or absence of children, respo nsibility for the household budget, and stress relating to housing insecuri ty. The research examines the material basis of these gender-based practice s and cautions against attempts to evaluate general trends in gender relati ons. Instead, the paper argues that convergences and divergences in the exp eriences of women and men are inextricably bound up with deeply gendered fo rms of inequality that take particular spatial forms. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.