Gentrification, Ruth Glass, and the Legacy of London: Aspects of Change (1964)

This article provides both a critical overview of London: Aspects of Change and an introduction to the special section, ‘Sixty Years of Change: Gentrification, Ruth Glass, and the Legacy of London: Aspects of Change’. Six decades after the publication of this important landmark in the study of London, the text continues to be known primarily for the word ‘gentrification’. This article sets out the case for the broader significance of the book; specifically, it argues that the diversity of approach and subject matter, although far from comprehensive, represents the challenge of accounting for London's complexity. The three articles in the special section demonstrate the value of continued innovation and exploration, both in the topics and methods deployed when writing about London. Looking back at this text is more than a historical curiosity, even though elements of it are long outdated, and it continues to act as an exemplar for the kind of intellectual work that might help us understand a complex city in order to better tackle the inequities at its heart.