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Outlines key dimensions of social cohesion, exploring whether societies are facing a new crisis in this area. Examines where contemporary residential neighborhoods fit into social cohesion debates, particularly regarding the interaction between social cohesion and social capital. Outlines key debates over social capital, showing how it can be broken down into relevant domains for policy action at the neighborhood level. (SM)

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2427.2009.00903.x Byline: RAY FORREST (1), YOSUKE HIRAYAMA (2) Keywords: neoliberalism; housing; generations; Japan; UK Abstract: Abstract Neoliberalism has dominated policy discourse and policy formulation for at least two decades and has been particularly influential in reshaping housing systems and housing opportunities. The timing, pace and impact of these policy developments have, however, varied between and within societies. This article explores the experiences of Japan and the UK as a way of illustrating that while there has been a shared discourse of neoliberalism, there have been important contextual differences in relation to the economic cycle, welfare systems and political complexion. These have affected the progress and development of neoliberal policy reforms in housing and in other related spheres and the extent of global financial integration. In both countries, a key social change is the striking reduction in levels of home ownership among younger age groups. The article explores the common and different causes and consequences of these trends and points to the significance of these emerging generational fissions for the neoliberal project. Resume Cela fait au moins vingt ans que le neoliberalisme a envahi le discours et la formulation de l'action publique. Son influence a ete considerable sur la reconfiguration des systemes et des opportunites de logement. Le moment, le rythme et l'impact de ces evolutions politiques ont neanmoins varie d'une societea une autre, et au sein de chacune. Les experiences du Japon et du Royaume-Uni sont examinees ici afin de montrer que, malgre un discours neoliberal commun, on peut reperer de nettes differences contextuelles en lien avec le cycle economique, les systemes de protection sociale et la coloration politique. Ces facteurs ont pese sur la progression et l'ampleur des reformes politiques neoliberales dans le domaine du logement et d'autres spheres connexes, ainsi que sur la portee de l'integration financiere mondiale. Les deux pays revelent une transformation sociale cruciale: les proprietaires de leur logement sont en forte diminution dans les tranches d'age les plus jeunes. L'etude s'interesse aux causes, communes et differentes, ainsi qu'aux consequences de ces tendances, tout en marquant l'importance, pour le projet neoliberal, de ces ruptures generationnelles recentes. Author Affiliation: (1)School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, UK (2)Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, University of Kobe, Japan Article note: Ray Forrest (R.Forrest@bristol.ac.uk), School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TZ, UK and Yosuke Hirayama (yosukeh@kobe-u.ac.jp), Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, University of Kobe, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2451.2009.00685.x Byline: Ray Forrest (1) Abstract: In this article I reflect on the current revival of interest in community and the neighbourhood in much western academic and policy literature and explores the different ways in which the idea of the neighbourhood continues to have resonance in the contemporary world. In doing so, I examines different conceptions and dimensions of neighbourhood, as community, as context, as commodity and as a consumption niche. I also explore the future of neighbourhood in the information age and argue that aspects of technological and demographic changes may be reinforcing as well as reshaping its role in our everyday lives. Author Affiliation: (1)University of Bristol

Most of the contemporary literature on the neighbourhood comes from US or European sources where there are sharp contrasts with East Asian cities in terms of the physical form, residential densities and in relation to ideas of community and kinship. This paper reports on a study carried out in Hong Kong which was designed to explore the extent to which western preoccupations with neighbourhood resonate in a high rise, high density Chinese city. As a precursor to a larger scale study interviews were carried out with fifteen individuals in three contrasting locations: a New Town estate, an older, inner city area and a middle class housing estate. The interviews explored inter alia neighbourhood perceptions, ideas of community, sense of belonging and sense of place among contemporary Hong Kong residents.