Urban Problems

Ethnic Neighborhoods and Engagement – The Case of Latino Neighborhoods in Chicago

Chicago, Illinois is not just known as the Windy City, but also as the City of Neighborhoods. During the 10 months I spent living in the midwestern metropolis, I realized how fitting both of these nic...Read More

The Housing Crisis: from Trading to Housing

This is a summary of the policy brief of Luuk Van Weert for the course The Social Structure of Western Societies. The author reports that across Western countries a housing crisis has occurred. For hi...Read More

Are we truly all in this together? The impact of COVID-19 on socio-economic inequality in education in the U.K.

This is a summary of the policy brief from Romy Oomens for the course The Social Structure of Western Societies. The author reports that aside from the primary effects of the pandemic (i.e. deteriorat...Read More

Could neighbourhood characteristics be good predictors of adolescents’ levels of self-efficacy and wellbeing?

A neighbourhood is a place where a person spends most of their free time with family or relatives and engages in community activities. Neighbourhoods differ from each other as some are located in unus...Read More

Happy neighbourhood, happy thoughts

Finally, after almost two years of full or partial lockdowns, it is safe to say The Netherlands is free from measures against the coronavirus. This is a moment many people had been eagerly anticipatin...Read More

“Waar blijft m’n wc-bril?”

Dit is wat mijn inmiddels 73-jarige grootmoeder ongeveer anderhalf jaar geleden tegen mij zei. Door de reuma, waar ze 50 jaar geleden mee werd gediagnosticeerd, is haar fysieke gesteldheid niet wat he...Read More

Voluntarily Reading Books to Toddlers Instead of Selling Drugs to Adults

Yes, you are reading the title right. In this blogpost, I will tell you how these two seemingly polar opposites are actually separated by a wafer-thin membrane, how these two distant worlds are part o...Read More

I am a meat fanatic, and this is my plea on how reduced meat consumption partly alleviates the biggest problems of the 21st century

In this direct attack on the meat industry, I (as the foremost sparerib’s lover in Western Europe) will tell you (the world saviour) why eating less meat is necessary to partially solve today...Read More

Green Park or a Highway? How Neighbourhood Engagement Opportunities Affect Health and Wellbeing

Imagine two neighbourhoods. The first one is located near the city centre, but not too close, so the noise and hustle of the big city are filtered out. You live in a house nearby a beautiful green par...Read More