Disentangling area effects: Evidence from deprived and non-deprived neighbourhoods

This paper focuses on the question of whether it is worse to be poor in a p oor area or in an area which is more socially mixed; in short, does living in a deprived area compound the disadvantage experienced by its residents, and do area effects contribute to social exclusion? The idea of social area s having direct or mediated effects on the lives of their residents continu es to interest and challenge academic and policy debates on the effect of c oncentrated poverty and on the creation of more mixed and, thereby, more su stainable neighbourhood forms. However, area effects remain contentious and British research evidence is scant. Following a review of the theoretical and empirical understandings of the relationship between households and nei ghbourhoods, the paper presents survey data from a comparative study of dep rived and socially mixed neighbourhoods in Glasgow and Edinburgh. These dat a provide evidence that supports the area effects thesis, in particular in relation to area reputation and employment. The paper concludes that, with certain caveats, living in areas of geographically concentrated poverty cre ates additional problems for residents.