Dividing societies: The socio-political spatial implications of restructuring in Australia

Abstract

This paper reviews trends over the last two to three decades in the socio-economic divisions in Australia, focusing on their spatial dimensions. It provides empirical evidence that our society is dividing on multiple dimensions - including of poverty. And it demonstrates that the differentiations across space in socio-economic phenomena also have complex multiple dimensions, which are explained inadequately by a 'city/bush' dichotomy popularly espoused by politicians and reported in the media. Processes of globalisation, economic restructing and employment shifts, and changing patterns of population movement are combining to create stark differentials between places both within the major cit..