Abstract

Recently, there has been a proliferation of studies investigating the relationship between diversity and outcomes such as social cohesion and civic mindedness. This paper addresses several common problems in this field and, using data for British neighbourhoods, elaborates on the experiences of both white British and ethnic minority respondents.

We conclude that if anything diversity should be encouraged to cement the integration progress of migrants and foster stronger identification with Britain in the second generation.

Deprivation at the neighbourhood level along with individual factors such as fear of crime is a much stronger predictor of deterioration of the civic spirit than diversity. In addition, the paper shows that white respondents report growing discomfort with outgroupers and desire to leave a diverse scenario if currently they live in primarily homogeneous intra-ethnic neighbourhoods in which they experience little diversity.

In contrast, minority respondents show greater tolerance in general; and the preference for living with co-ethnics increases with the strength of their religious conviction and high exposure to diversity and deprivation.

Biography

Dr Neli Demireva is a Lecturer in Department of Sociology at the University of Essex.

Picture courtesy of Geograph.