Embryonic associationalism: New Labour and urban governance

This article considers the role of ideas in New Labour's approach to the governance of urban regeneration and characterizes this approach as 'embryonic associationalism'. This approach contrasts with the economic rationalism of previous Conservative governments and leads to a more determined effort to empower local community groups within the policy process. We analyse the effects of this shift in approach in practice through a comparative case study of changing patterns of governance in different areas of the English city of Sheffield over a ten-year period. We conclude that while other factors are important in shaping the nature of community empowerment, New Labour's approach has promoted a political environment in which it is increasingly difficult for local state actors to ignore the voice of local communities. However, while we refer to this as 'New Labour's approach', we are clear that this relates to a tradition of ideas that is far from new in Labour thought.