Ethnic diversity does not spell the end of harmony in the community
Posted on 17. Sep, 2010 by admin in Geography, Science
Poverty and deprivation are greater influences on how people perceive their neighbourhood than levels of ethnic diversity, new research reveals.
The study by the Universities of Portsmouth and Southampton is the first to examine whether people living in areas with a high level of ethnic diversity influences how they perceive problems in their neighbourhood, such as anti-social behaviour, and whether such mixing influences trust and cohesion with their neighbours. The research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), was rooted in wide political and media debate.
The opinions of over 36,000 people revealed that those living in disadvantaged areas were more likely to perceive high levels of anti-social behaviour such as vandalism, rowdiness and drug dealing than those living in more prosperous areas. But the degree of ethnic diversity had little or no effect on perception. It challenges the view that mixed neighbourhoods have a negative effect on social cohesion.
Dr Liz Twigg, Principal Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth who led the research, said:
“It has been suggested that diverse communities are less cohesive and therefore suffer from problems associated with anti-social behaviour, crime and lack of trust. Our research suggests that this simply isn’t true. In general what people think of their neighbourhood as a place to live is not strongly influenced by the level of ethnic mixing. What is much more important is their material circumstances – the level of deprivation or prosperity in an area.”
The findings were based on analyses of data from the British Crime Survey (BCS), a Home Office survey in which adults are asked about their experiences of and views on crime, antisocial behaviour, levels of neighbourhood trust and whether they feel they can call on their neighbours to help solve community problems.
The information was supported by data from the Index of Multiple Deprivation which identifies the socio-economic character of an area and information from the UK census. Deprived areas are categorised by poverty, high levels of unemployment, low educational attainment, reliance on benefits and reduced access to services. The result is the most detailed analysis to date of the relationship between diversity and residents’ perceptions of their local area.
The data shows that a typical person living in an ‘average’ neighbourhood is about 10 per cent likely to perceive high levels of anti-social behaviour. This is reduced to around five per cent in wealthier neighbourhoods but goes up to around 17 per cent if you are from a more deprived area.
People who have been personal victims of crime are more than twice as likely to have a negative impression of their neighbourhood.
Dr Twigg, from Department of Geography, said: “Although perceptions of anti-social behaviour do have a basis in actual levels of crime, the research showed that neighbourhood socio-economic circumstance is just as important. “In essence, it would appear that your living conditions, individual material household circumstances and immediate surroundings have a strong influence on your view of the world outside your front door.
“Your age, social class and the type of housing you live in will significantly affect your personal point of view, but there is no evidence that ethnic diversity has strong negative social effects. If anything the opposite is true and in fact those living in the most culturally mixed neighbourhood had more positive thoughts about national crime trends.”
The study found that in very mixed neighbourhoods there was minor evidence of less social cohesion and trust. Dr Twigg said: “People were slightly less inclined to believe they live in a close-knit community and may be less likely to intervene if they saw someone in trouble. But where there is a negative effect it is small and always outweighed by neighbourhood deprivation.”
She stresses that perceptions can be as important as actual experience because it influences people’s behaviour and affects their choice of where they live, the schools they choose and influences neighbourhood reputation.
She suggests that governments and local authorities will have more influence over how neighbourhoods are viewed by focusing less on the mix of people in an area and more on the social and economic circumstances facing communities
