Urban myths: popular culture, the city and identity

Milestone, K ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7291-5881 (2008) Urban myths: popular culture, the city and identity. Sociology Compass, 2 (4). p. 1165. ISSN 1751-9020

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Abstract

This article uses Manchester (England) as a case study to examine some relationships between the city and the popular culture that emerges from, or seeks to represent, this city. We focus on post-war popular culture that has been widely disseminated such as film, television and popular music. The article considers whether these examples of popular culture reflect wider urban, social and cultural change and discuss what impact this popular culture has had on changing the landscape and fortunes of the city. In particular, we discuss the case study of Manchester's popular culture in terms of ideas about place-based identities and social class. We consider popular culture in terms of de-industrialising Manchester through to regenerated Manchester. The paper concludes by discussing the possibility that the city centre of Manchester has become gentrified and considers the impact that this is having on popular culture.