Too much cohesion? Young people's territoriality in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Abstract

Abstract This chapter looks at territoriality among young people in Edinburgh and Glasgow. It sheds some light on how the socio-spatial manifestations of division are neither new nor limited to inter-ethnic or religious rivalries. The authors illustrate how territoriality plays out in different ways, depending on the local neighbourhood histories and dynamics, and the age and gender of the affected groups. The chapter also identifies some of the negative consequences of territoriality for young people, which include constraints on mobility and social interaction, and limited access to neighbourhood facilities and educational institutions. This discussion also presents a finding that territoriality represents a type of belonging and attachment to a neighbourhood which signifies a form of cohesion that may be potentially reshaped towards more positive outcomes.