Participation in Real-World Settings

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction to the fieldwork in Blackbird Leys, discussing the area in the context of its location within the city of Oxford, and tracing its development from its foundation in the 1950s to the present day. This established, it provide an account of the social structure of the area, focusing on the various indicators of deprivation available in order to provide a detailed picture of the extent, and form, of poverty suffered by the residents of Blackbird Leys. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the area as a suitable case for the analysis of democracy and civic participation.