Locating “Left Behind” Places and People in England: Scale, Trajectory, and the Challenge of Multidimensionality
Victoria Houlden, Caitlin Robinson, Rachel S. Franklin, Francisco Rowe, Andy Pike
Abstract
The term “left behind” connotes inequalities in wealth and opportunity, and political disaffection. Although definitional disagreements persist, we propose three key insights to understanding what “left behind” is and why it matters: spatial scale, trajectory, and multidimensionality. Emphasising local and individual experiences, we develop a two-stage approach that interrogates the concept of “left behind”: first, a typology of “left behind” neighbourhoods and, second, a consideration of individual-level “left behind” measures, and how these are associated with our “left behind” geographies. Our findings reveal a local geography of “left behind” in England and highlight the multidimensionality of the phenomenon.