A Tale of Two Cities is a study of two major cities, Manchester and Sheffield. Drawing on the work of major theorists, the authors explore the everyday life, making contributions to our understanding of the defining activities of life.

Preface Part I Past and contemporary contexts 1 RECOGNISING LOCAL DIFFERENCE IN NORTH OF ENGLAND CITIES: THE ‘STRUCTURE OF FEELING’ IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 2 DIRTY OLD TOWNS: THE PRE-INDUSTRIAL AND INDUSTRIAL HISTORIES OF MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 3 ‘THIS RUDDY RECESSION’: POST-FORDISM IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD Part II Getting to work and getting about: a realist sociology of everyday life in the North 4 GOING TO WORK: THE DAILY STRUGGLE 5 SHOP ’TIL YOU DROP: THE ‘NICE SHOPS’ AND THE MARKETS IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD Part III It takes all folks: different publics in Manchester and Sheffield 6 ON OUR UPPERS: POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 7 ‘OUT ON THE TOWN’: MANCHESTER’S GAY VILLAGE 8 ‘WHITE CITY’: ETHNICITY AND RACIAL DIFFERENCE IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 9 MEN’S TOWNS: WOMEN’S ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 10 PENSIONED OFF: THE SENIOR CITIZENS OF MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 11 THE URBAN OTHER: CHILDREN AND YOUNG MEN IN PUBLIC SPACE IN MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD 12 CONTESTED VISIONS OF THE CITY AND DIFFERENT LIFE PROJECTS IN THE DE[1]INDUSTRIALISED NORTH