Abstract

Although it is not new, the quest for economic and social inclusion has become a commonplace feature in political programmes in recent years. The language of inclusion has become ingrained in much political, civil, and everyday discourse, and the ideal of ‘inclusion’ and ‘inclusivity’ has been
readily accepted by many public and private organizations and institutions. Particularly in recent years, much has been made of the important role of cities in realizing the ideal of economic and social inclusion. At the level of urban governance – and this can be seen reinforced in the UK government’s ‘levelling up agenda’ – urban (re)development as an engine of economic and social revitalization is seen to be especially significant in both promoting urban growth and pursuing economic and social inclusion. Much of this redevelopment has focused particularly on the role of culture – of cultural amenities, a cultural landscape, and a cultural ‘presence’ for cities – in urban revitalization projects, which promise, or, some have suggested, ought to promise, an economically and socially ‘inclusive’ future.
This paper takes a critical look at the idea of economic and social inclusion from the perspective of culture and aesthetics. I argue that culture is a crucial, but often unacknowledged, companion of economic and social inclusion. I further suggest that this cultural perspective – or what I call here the ‘view from aesthetics’ – raises some important issues about the approach to economic and social inclusion and its potential, particularly in the context of urban regeneration.