This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vaattovaara, M. Articles by Kortteinen, M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Beyond Polarisation versus Professionalisation? A Case Study of the Development of the Helsinki Region, Finland

University of Helsinki, 21 Kuninkaistentie, 02160 Espoo, Finland. mari.vaattovaara{at}helsinki.fi

Matti Kortteinen

STAKES, National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, PO Box 220, FIN-00531, Helsinki, Finland. matti.kortteinen{at}stakes.fi

Starting from the polarisation (Sassen) versus professionalisation (Hamnett) discussion, the paper presents an analysis of the development of the Helsinki Metropolitan Region, the capital district of Finland. The analysis of new urban differentiation shows how modern ITC-based 'informational development' (Castells) seriously challenges the egalitarian basis of the Nordic welfare regime. The bimodal urban differentiation is not, however, regarded as a sign of polarisation, but rather as a new phase in economic development linked with a structural shift in the demand for labour that can result in very different outcomes in different cities and welfare regimes. In other words, both polarisation and professionalisation are interpreted as different versions or outcomes of a more fundamental structural shift combining both.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Kivela, A. Krol, S. Simola, M. Vaattovaara, P. Tuomola, H. Brummer-Korvenkontio, and M. Ristola HIV outbreak among injecting drug users in the Helsinki region: social and geographical pockets Eur J Public Health, August 1, 2007; 17(4): 381 - 386. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.-m. Lee, H. Wong, and K.-y. Law Social Polarisation and Poverty in the Global City: The Case of Hong Kong China Report, January 1, 2007; 43(1): 1 - 30. [Abstract] [PDF]