Gentrification in London: Decolonising Urban Fieldwork

….just ‘feel the vibe’ of the place…

Written by Iram Sammar

Date: Dhul-Hijjah 01, 1445 AH (07 June 2024)

The image above was taken spontaneously by me in West Ealing, London a few years back – the mural no longer exists as it has been sealed off by a brick wall through a construction company engaged in the process of regeneration. Regeneration and gentrification are terms often used in understanding urban change or discussions about developing place and the altering nature of space – regardless, they refer to different processes with serious implications for the people and communities affected by such changes. So much geography is going on the picture. What questions do you have? It was a fantastic piece of artwork, which embodies the community that once thrived here (or perhaps it still is thriving?), but the mural no longer exists. What is the story? For those unfamiliar with the area, here are some inquiry questions:

Urban fieldwork is an important component of geography education in England, United Kingdom at GCSE and A Level, providing students with firsthand experiences that bring theoretical concepts to life. This article will demonstrate how decoloniality and antiracism can be embedded into the learning experience to improve how students navigate the field, especially in places across the UK. Recently, I had the opportunity to join Izzy Wood and her A Level class from Alton College on an eye-opening field trip to Elephant & Castle and Brixton in South London, focusing on the often-overlooked Latin American community and the rich Black British History of the area, courtesy of the Black Cultural Archives and Latin Elephant. This trip was not only educational but also an opportunity to self-reflect and learn more about this vibrant area and the journey of resistant communities through their struggles and triumphs. So it is not surprising when Izzy Wood got in contact, I jumped at the chance to experience this rather special fieldwork she has been engaging her students in for quite sometime.

Understanding Gentrification: An Introduction

OCR definition: Gentrification – process by which former low-income inner city housing districts in AC (Advanced Countries) are invaded by higher-income groups and refurbished. (Hodder textbook)

Most exam boards in the UK define gentrification within the context of geography education as the process and study of urban spatial change in which wealthier communities and organisations move into, renovate, and rejuvenate previously ‘less’ affluent urban areas. Such change often impacts rising property values and rent, which can displace long-term, lower-income residents. We often end up teaching gentrification largely through a neoliberal lens. This could involve ignoring race, ethnicity, and other characteristics that make up the demography of a particular area, because focus is placed on economic principles and individual actions, with little or no reference made to wider social and historical contexts that affect different groups of people.

Teachers may focus largely on economic changes through developing an understanding of how investment in property and infrastructure by wealthier newcomers affects local economies, job markets, and housing affordability. This may lead to the discussion of some social and cultural impacts as students are encouraged to analyse the shifts in the social fabric and cultural identity of local area as new populations move in and original residents are ‘pushed’ out. Another common aspect of gentrification is studying urban development and planning to investigate how urban policies and development projects facilitate or mitigate gentrification, including the role of government and private developers. This may lead to understanding spatial patterns through mapping the geographic patterns of gentrification, which may include looking at areas most susceptible and how these patterns change over time. Environmental justice might be explored by examining how gentrification affects access to resources, green spaces, and the overall environmental quality of urban areas, which has intersectional links with issues of racial and economic inequality – but how this might be approached differs from school to school. No GCSE and A Level learning is without case studies, where delving into specific examples from cities around the world, particularly from those places considered to be ACs, although classifications within themselves must be critically assessed too. All this together develops a student’s understanding of the local nuances and broader trends of gentrification. Students and teachers may use tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to visualize and analyse the spatial dynamics of gentrification. Through qualitative methods, such as interviews and ethnographies teachers can gather deeper insights into the experiences of impacted communities. So, it is important to ensure sensitivity within such fieldwork, which involve approaches that prioritise the dignity, privacy, and cultural values of local communities. Although teachers may have these conversations in the classroom before heading off to a new place – these should continue on the field too. In the context of geography education in England specifically, this blog will explore how an added decolonial and antiracism lens could bring a more nuanced approach to examining gentrification with London as a case study. The study of gentrification is vast and has the potential to raise awareness of the complexities of urban change which equips students with the critical skills to assess and acknowledge its wider impacts on the communities often ignored.

Exploring Gentrification and Cultural Identity in Elephant & Castle and Brixton: A Learning Walk with Izzy Wood and Alton College Students

Part 1: The Invisibility of the Latin American Community

One of the striking realities Izzy focused on during our trip was the ‘invisibility’ of the Latin American community in the UK. The first part of our learning walk with Valerie Rosa took us through a captivating guided tour of Elephant and Castle to address how despite the significant presence of the Latin American community, they are not recognized in the UK census, where their contributions and challenges are often overlooked. Valerie is a committed member of Latin Elephant, an organization dedicated to empowering ‘Black and minoritized Londoners to engage in processes of urban change.’ Such invisibility has tangible impacts, from underrepresentation in policy decisions to the erasure of cultural identities in broader societal narratives.

Valerie talked about a shopping centre which was demolished in 2020, ‘but this was not without a fight,’ as these communities alongside Latin Elephant and other local groups made demands for refurbishment. This shopping centre was at the heart of the migrant and Latin American communities in the area, so the demolition was heartbreaking, as the livelihood and hard work of those displaced were all taken away in the name of regeneration. Although Valerie emphasised that ‘no one is against regeneration,’ the wider process of gentrification has meant communities like her’s were overlooked and ignored in the decision-making process. Valerie shared her lived experience which made the learning valuable for the students as they were exposed to the harsh realities of gentrification through an authentic voice from ‘within a community.’ Sivanandan often made reference to how communities marginalised in the UK should have the opportunity to resist erasure and racism and such discussions are clearly relevant today.

Next time you plan a field trip to the area, be sure to get in touch with Valerie. She is a warm and genuine person with engaging presentational skills – Alton College students really appreciated her insights and were captivated throughout.

^{Part 2: Black Cultural Archives}

Hannah’s fantastic workshop is a must for any school looking to expand their knowledge of Black British History – it is presented in a unique and inspiring way through digital timelines and various artifacts. The Black historical timelines are proudly presented through a prestigious partnership between the Black Cultural Archives and Royal Holloway, University of London. This significant five-year collaboration is dedicated to making the teaching and learning of inclusive, shared histories and is fully accessible for schools and colleges. They use an impressive array of documents and artifacts from BCA’s unique archival collections, many of which have been meticulously digitized, this initiative does well to broaden access and enhance understanding on a global scale. Hannah had a fantastic rapport with the students and kept everyone engaged through clever questioning techniques and reflections. See the images below. I have decided to not reveal too much in this article as it is important to experience this workshop yourselves with your students – highly recommended. For those of you wondering where to begin on your journey into decolonising the curriculum or establishing an anti-racism approach to pedagogy, Black Cultural Archives is most definitely the best place to start.

Following the workshop, we continued on our guided walk tour as Izzy talked to her students about important developments such as the Brixton Square development and Clifton Mansions. With the rise of gated communities, Izzy helped students imagine what life was once like, where the area thrived as a dynamic hub for ‘musicians, artists, squatters, idealists,’ the marginalized, and a colorful array of people who created their own vibrant community (see Brixton Buzz). On our walk, we passed stunning artwork like the mural at the beginning of this article – from images of George Floyd and Marvin Gaye to Palestinian solidarity writings on the walls. It was clear a story was unfolding, one which you will not find in any geography textbook

There was a moment, in the pouring rain during our tour of Brixton, where I asked the students to close their eyes and just ‘feel the vibe’ of the place – to listen to the sounds and take in the scents through their senses. We heard Reggae beats, appreciating the music’s unique rhythm, we felt the deep connection it had with the community we were privileged to experience. Reggae’s distinctive offbeat rhythm evoked a relaxed and emotional vibe. When I opened my eyes, I witnessed the soothing and uplifting sensation I truly believe we all were feeling unanimously – I can say, it was quite emotional, especially as we had just attended the brilliant workshop with Hannah earlier. The students were encouraged through their senses to question and critique dominant narratives that portray gentrification as purely positive urban revitalization, instead of examining the socio-economic and racial displacement it often causes.

This field trip reaffirmed the immense criticality of decolonising fieldwork in geography education. It highlighted that experiencing a place firsthand and appreciating the cultures and diversity within, can evoke empathy, challenge preconceptions, and inspire a meaningful understanding of complex social issues. By stepping away from classroom, textbook and specification constraints, students had the opportunity to appreciate the streets of Elephant & Castle and Brixton. Izzy’s students gained invaluable insights that no textbook could provide.

^{Izzy Wood: Personal and Emotional Connections}

For Izzy, this field trip was more than an academic exercise. It was a journey through a place she once called home, filled with memories of shared meals, community events, and personal connections. She was able to do this by bringing learning to life with this walking tour. No worksheets, no fuss, just the students and their senses. The loss of cultural spaces and displacement of long-time residents due to gentrification in Elephant & Castle is a deep personal loss for Izzy too, so it was a key theme she conveyed to her students.

Izzy mentioned how understanding that students from a rural village in Hampshire might struggle to grasp the complexities of urban gentrification through textbooks alone, so she organized a walking tour with presentations from Valerie (Latin Elephant) and Hannah (Black Cultural Archives). This immersive experience allowed them to see and feel the contrasts and changes in real time. The reaction was profound; one student remarked it felt like being in another country, while another expressed sorrow for the displaced community; and one student found joy in seeing a part of the UK where the Black and Global Majority were represented.

Izzy’s own reflection:

“In planning the A Level content, I noticed a gap. Much of the curriculum focused on areas like Brick Lane and East London, while my knowledge and experience lay with the Caribbean and Latinx communities in South London. To bridge this gap, I curated resources from various platforms, including the Brixton Buzz, Latin Elephant website, and YouTube channels, alongside social justice campaigns shared by my Colombian friends on social media. This comprehensive approach ensured that the materials were rich, diverse, and reflective of the lived experiences of these communities. As the Latin American community is not recognised in the UK census they have been ‘invisible’, so I thought it was time to write about this and start in my classroom with my students. This is also a place I lived for over a decade and knew the community, the food, the place really well so a lot of the loss in Elephant… is personal and it is part of my personal geography. I built the resources up using a lot of content from the Brixton Buzz, Latin Elephant website and YouTube channel as well as plays, social justice campaigns I saw my Colombian friends post about on social media etc. I teach gentrification in Elephant & Castle in changing places and Brixton in social segregation, cultural diversity, economic inequality for contemporary urban environments for the AQA A level spec. In this section, I taught the history of racism & anti-racism in London and added quite a lot of decolonising and life lessons to a section which could just as easily be interpreted as a racist or right wing section of the spec, particularly based on what is in the textbook. Eventually, I put it together as a walking tour for my students because I realised as students from a village in Hampshire they just can’t imagine it even with videos and pictures and accounts it’s a world away from their lived experience. One student even said he felt like he was in another country because he didn’t know the UK could be like this. I bought Colombian snacks from Distriandina for the students to experience as I knew the trains were delayed around Elephant to Herne Hill. This gave me time to speak to them individually about their reaction from the classroom to real life and one student said they just felt really in despair and sad for the displaced community, another from the Philippines said they had assumed the UK was all white like our village and was happy to see areas where the global majority were dominant. This gives me confidence that the reason we take students into the field is worth it because you just can’t imagine places. “

(Izzy Wood, 2024)

Izzy’s exploration and endeavour were rooted in the AQA A level specification, specifically looking at gentrification in Elephant & Castle under changing places, and Brixton for social segregation, cultural diversity, and economic inequality in contemporary urban environments. Importantly, she integrates lessons on the history of racism and anti-racism in London, adding a decolonial perspective that challenges the potentially biased narratives in standard textbooks. This approach has transformed the learning experience for her students, making it more inclusive whilst raising social awareness.

To deepen their cultural immersion, Izzy kindly purchased delicious Colombian snacks from Distriandina. This not only provided a welcomed break from the delayed trains but also facilitated individual conversations about their experiences and reactions. These discussions revealed a range of emotions, from despair over displacement to happiness at seeing diverse communities thriving. One students expressed how “coming to a place and feeling the culture is really important and to know there is a world out there beyond your own.”

^{Final thoughts: Decolonising Urban Fieldwork}

As educators, our goal is to broaden students’ horizons and equip them with the tools to critically engage with the world. This fieldwork experience did just that, leaving a lasting impact on the students and reinforcing the importance of connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences. Teaching gentrification with a decolonial and antiracist lens in geography education should involves a critical examination of the power dynamics, historical contexts, and systemic inequalities that are connected to the phenomenon. There are numerous methods geography teachers can use whilst out in the field. Firstly, it is important to explore the historical context and the colonial legacy of urban development – how have these histories shaped contemporary spatial inequalities? This could lead on to a discussion of how colonial legacies continue to affect urban planning and land use policies. When choosing case studies, teachers can include information that trace the lineage of gentrification practices to colonial dispossession and urban renewal projects that disproportionately affected marginalized communities. Izzy’s learning walk included pedagogical approaches that de-centre Eurocentric knowledge and prioritise Black, Global Majority, Indigenous and local knowledge(s). She incorporated authentic community-based research methods and asked decolonial and anti-racism thinkers to contribute to the development of her learners’ understanding of race and racism. Engaging students in projects that involve collaboration with local communities affected by gentrification, fosters an ethic of solidarity and social justice. I would also like to highlight, when conducting fieldwork in areas where people might feel you are intruding with your gaze, it is critically important to be sensitive and respectful. People and communities deserve to have their dignity respected. Intrusive behaviour was discouraged, such as staring or taking photos without permission, as this can make people feel objectified and humiliated.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Izzy, Julia (Izzy’s colleague) and most of all their students from Alton College for an amazing experience – peace and power to the communities we visited.

Have you planned fieldwork in your school where you have thought about anti-racism, decoloniality, or social justice? I would love to know more, or feature it here at Salaam Geographia, so please do get in touch: salaamgeography2021@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.