The Place of ‘Place’ in Theories of Poverty : Mobility, Social Capital and Well-Being

This article argues that theories about the spatial distribution of poverty since World War II have always combined analyses of the impact of the built environment, of culture and of mobility of populations. However, the form taken by these combinations has varied with the logic of the underlying political economy adopted by governments in the USA, UK and continental Europe. The author argues that a new version may be emerging, reflecting ideas from theory on social capital and well-being