Social cohesion, social mix, and urban policies in the Netherlands

Abstract

Urban policy in the Netherlands has long been focused on improving disadvantaged urban districts. In the last 13 years policy has become particularly area-based. Here the spatial concentration of low-income households has been seen as a highly problematic issue. Because of this negative view of these concentrations, a housing mix in the problematic urban areas has been considered to be one of the most promising solutions. A housing mix would result in a social mix and more social cohesion within the district. Strikingly, numerous researchers point out that the social mix might not resolve the problems in those areas, while at the same time central and local government holds on to the idea of the mix. We give some background of urban policy in the Netherlands and focus on the relationship between social mix and social cohesion. After a brief review of the literature on this relationship, we give an account of recent Dutch urban policies, particularly on the role of social mix and social cohesion within them. This review yields some important inferences for future urban policies in the Netherlands and other West European countries.