Why have central areas in Norwegian cities become more popular in recent years? There
is an increasing demand for inner-city dwellings changing the social composition of
the inhabitants from lower to higher status groups. This phenomenon,
‘gentrification’, seems to be an international trend.
Gentrification has been explained in different ways. Mainly, three different types
of explanations have been suggested, related to economy/production,
consumption/life-style and feminization of the labour market. In this paper, our
standpoint is related to the two latter explanations emphasizing that living in
central areas may also have important practical advantages. Long distances between
home and the workplace, a mediocre public-transport supply and time-use in car
queues are negative factors, while reduction of distances,
‘liberation’ from motorized transport and increased access to
public services facilitate the organization of everyday life. Results from a survey
of 5,000 inhabitants in Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen confirm that practical advantages
are considered important for living in central areas.
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