title: The politicisation of suburbanisation in Belgium: towards an urban–suburban divide.
abstract: The electoral and political consequences of suburbanisation recently regained interest in the Anglo-Saxon literature, pointing to a growing polarisation between city and suburban fringe. This paper analyses these processes in the Antwerp urban region and shows the development of a similar electoral divide that is supported by the political parties involved. These observations add to the existing evidence that city–suburban polarisation in Belgium cannot be simply equated with the Anglo-Saxon experience, where a complete suburban fencing off from the city is observable. Rather, because of the comparatively limited development of functions in the Belgian suburbs, a suburban discourse emerges that focuses on safe and accessible cities for the suburban user, yet without much reference to its present inhabitants.
authors.affiliation: The Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Maesschalck
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium / Q000208:ethnology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D011157:Population Dynamics / Q000266:history; D011287:Prejudice; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000266:history; D012449:Safety / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors / Q000266:history; D018881:Suburban Health / Q000266:history; D013383:Suburban Population / Q000266:history; D014504:Urban Health / Q000266:history; D014505:Urban Population / Q000266:history