The Ethnic Composition of the Neighbourhood and Ethnic Minorities' Social Contacts: Three Unresolved Issues (original) (raw)
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Ethnic segregation in The Netherlands: An analysis at neighbourhood level
International Journal of Manpower, 2009
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to describe the degree of ethnic residential segregation and diversification in Dutch neighbourhoods. Design/methodology/approach -Using data on neighbourhood level, the authors calculate segregation and diversification indices, and illustrate the distribution of main origin groups by cumulative distribution functions. A preliminary analysis is conducted to quantify the relationship between neighbourhood ethnic composition and economic outcomes (income and welfare dependency). Findings -No evidence is found on the existence of mono-ethnic neighbourhoods in The Netherlands. The higher concentration of non-Western immigrants in the large cities occurs in neighbourhoods with a high degree of diversity from several origins. An apparent strong correlation between the concentration of non-Western immigrants and the prevalence of social benefits is likely due to the composition effect. The findings counter the public opinion that ghetto-like neighbourhoods are dominant. They suggest that neighbourhood housing composition plays possibly an important role to attract immigrants with a weak socio-economic position, who are often from a variety of non-Western countries, rather than from a single origin. Practical implications -Social policies aimed at improving neighbourhood quality affect non-Western immigrants from different source countries simultaneously, as they tend to live together in immigrant neighbourhoods. But integration policies targeted at neighbourhoods are insufficient, as many immigrants live in areas with low immigrant density: policies targeted at individuals (and families) remain indispensable. Originality/value -This is the first paper to document segregation and diversity in The Netherlands, using unique neighbourhood level data. Applying cumulative distribution functions to these issues is also novel.
Ethnic Segregation in the Netherlands: New Patterns, New Policies?
Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 2002
An impressive set of welfare state arrangements has kept ethnic segregation and concentration in Dutch cities to a relatively low level. Indices of segregation have also been relatively stable over the last two decades. This does not mean, however, that concentrations of ethnic minority groups are stable. Some types of neighbourhoods seem to have become less important as housing areas for ethnic minority groups, while others are becoming their main housing areas, especially for Turks and Moroccans. While in some cities this shifting pattern has already been characteristic for more than a decade, in other cities it is of more recent origin. We describe these shifting patterns of ethnic minority groups in the largest cities in the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht). We then focus on the policy response to these patterns and we briefly evaluate this response. Our main conclusion is that ethnic concentrations are not problematic in themselves, but that policy can significantly enhance the situation of (the inhabitants of) specific neighbourhoods.
The Complex Role of Ethnicity in Urban Mixing: A Study of Two Deprived Neighbourhoods in Amsterdam
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In the USA and Western Europe, mixing policies are widespread. They aim to differentiate various income groups in deprived neighbourhoods. By constructing 'expensive' housing units, the middle classes are encouraged to settle in these neighbourhoods and consequently a concentration of low-income groups is circumscribed. Such a new population composition is assumed to lead to an improved quality of life in the neighbourhood concerned. However, there is insufficient attention paid to ethnicity and interethnic dynamics, which will be elaborated on in two case studies of deprived and ethnically differentiated neighbourhoods in Amsterdam.
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 2011
Several studies conclude that ethnic diversity tends to reduce social capital. There may however be other forms of diversity that affect social capital as well, and their inclusion might make the negative effect of ethnic diversity spurious. Besides ethnic diversity, we identify economic and religious diversity, as well as language proficiency in the neighbourhood. This study explores with data from the Netherlands how these four dimensions of diversity in the neighbourhood affect the quality of contact with neighbours, trust in neighbourhood and inter-ethnic trust for immigrant and native residents. We find that ethnic diversity in the neighbourhood still lowers the quality of contact with the neighbours. For natives, ethnic diversity is positively associated with inter-ethnic trust, whereas for immigrants there is no effect. Furthermore, for natives, religious diversity negatively affects the quality of contact with the neighbours and interethnic trust, whereas for immigrants this effect is positive. Economic diversity positively impacts trust in the neighbourhood and inter-ethnic trust. We do not find an effect of language proficiency. We conclude that besides ethnic diversity, other forms of diversity in the neighbourhood affect trust as well. Furthermore, diversity can undermine, but also build various aspects of trust. Last, diversity in the neighbourhood does not mean the same for immigrant and native residents.
Community Development Journal, 2011
Many disadvantaged neighbourhoods increasingly face pressures from globalization, modernization and individualization, which have arguably helped to accelerate a decline in local-level social cohesion and social maintenance mechanisms. Many governmental officials, politicians and community development workers consider community development a tool for improving mutual solidarity and social maintenance, leading to improved social cohesion, liveability and safety in these neighbourhoods. Today, 'mixing' strategies are popular tools for linking residents with a different ethnic and/or class background. The assumption is that once people are enabled to mingle, bridging social capital will develop easily. However, in practice, contact between heterogeneous groups and individual residents does not develop spontaneously. Once positive encounters take place, this may lead to the development of mutual trust, which is crucial for the development of successful citizens' initiatives in the Netherlands and elsewhere, a process worthy of more attention from professionals and researchers.
Urban Studies, 2016
It is widely known that there is a strong relationship between local ethnic concentration and local social engagement. This article attempts to take a step forward by analysing the gap between the real and the expected local social engagement and its association with local ethnic concentration. Understanding this gap may assist policy makers with better urban planning aiming for high social cohesion, particularly in those cities with high ethnic concentrations. Using the case of the Netherlands, this article finds a positive association between the real and the expected local social engagement, but this is higher for native Dutch people than for immigrants (i.e. Turks, Moroccans, Surinamese and Antilleans). This article also finds that as local ethnic concentration increases, Moroccans and Turks seem to meet their own expectations, but this effect is stronger for Moroccans. This is likely to indicate that an increase in local ethnic concentration assists Moroccans and Turks to maint...
Ethnic competition and opposition to ethnic intermarriage in the Netherlands: A multi-level approach
European Sociological Review, 2008
This study investigates the relationship between characteristics of the living environment and antagonistic attitudes towards ethnic out-groups, with a focus on the explanation of opposition to ethnic intermarriage. Previous studies on the relationship between the living environment and prejudice-related attitudes used at most a limited set of contextual characteristics. We investigate to what extent relative group sizes, economic competition, cultural competition, safety threats, and social cohesion within Dutch municipalities and neighbourhoods affect antagonistic attitudes once social origin characteristics and other relevant individual-level characteristics are controlled for. To test hypotheses derived from Ethnic Competition Theory and Contact Theory, we used data from the Netherlands Kinship and Panel Survey supplemented with unique aggregate demographic statistics. The results show that proximity of ethnic out-group members in the municipality reduces opposition to ethnic heterogamy. However, an increase in the ethnic out-group proportion is positively related to opposition to ethnic intermarriage. Moreover, at the neighbourhood level, proximity of ethnic outgroups increases opposition among the lower educated, whereas it decreases opposition among the higher educated. These findings indicate that the threat mechanism, the contact mechanism, and selective migration operate at the same time. Economic competition is the only type of competition that evokes opposition to ethnic intermarriage.
Spatial segregation and integration in the Netherlands
Three country studies on Great Britain (C. Peach), the Netherlands (S. Musterd/W. Ostendorf), and Sweden (R. Andersson) outline key features of ethnic residential segregation and discuss their relevance for the integration of migrants. For all three countries the degree of settlement concentration is considered moderate. Empirical results are presented on links between neighbourhood and, e. g., labour market integration and inter-group relations. In a concluding chapter, Karen Schönwälder offers an assessment of the available evidence on neighbourhood effects and its relevance for the German situation. While it seems too early to draw firm conclusions, current knowledge suggests that the importance of socio-spatial structures for the integration of people with a migration background should not be overestimated. The evidence does not support a choice of political intervention strategies that focus on countering ethnic residential segregation.
Spatial Characteristics of Social Exclusion of the Turkish Community in Deventer, the Netherlands
2010
Undivided city' is one of the basic objectives of current development strategies with the aim of integrating minority groups to the majority of population sometimes by destroying the ethnic identities in favor of social cohesion. One of the basic policies originates from discussions on ethnic dimension of residential segregation/concentration. Local governments propose developing heterogeneous/mixedhousing areas shaped by the renewal efforts. These kinds of policies consider a linear relationship between the concentration of different social groups (ethnic and/or social status groups) in housing areas-even if it is by lawand social cohesion and more precise a linear relationship between ethnic concentrations and the rising element of xeno-racism. The contemporary debate about the status of immigrants witnesses outbreaks of xenophobia/xeno-racism by a popular imagination of strong concentrations of muslim communities as 'threats to security'. In other words there is a linear relationship between the neighborhood effects-the behaviour of individuals are directly related with the neighborhood in which they live-(Kauppinen, 2006) and social exclusion directed by xeno-racist movements and policy formations. Central in these discussions is an assumption that the civil disturbances have been sparked by the immigrants who have lacked assimilation (Cheong, et al, 2007). In this regard, especially second and third generation immigrants are accepted to be socially and economically excluded more with respect to their parents within the current economic conditions and their identity expectations in between their origins and the cultural sovereignty of a European Union country. However, destroying their social ties with their communities is in fact destroying their support in an environment in which they are excluded. Researchers prove the fact that there are other factors such as economic restructuring, transition from welfare society to market mechanisms, urban history, general housing policy and cultural orientation, in the residential segregation of immigrants (Deurloo, Musterd, 2001). Anti-immigration policies on the contrary, result in the empowerment of social solidarity networks reidentified within a system of ethnic and/or belief formations and strong (sometimes violent) resistance. The aim of this study is to put forward the reasons of segregation and/or concentration of the immigrant Turks in the case of Deventer/the Netherlands to discuss policy concerns of social cohesion in a culturally diverse society. Thus social inclusion is clarified with an evaluation of the factors of segregation and concentration within the forms of 'institutional racism'.
Ethnic Concentration Areas in Neighbourhood Perspective in Enschede, the Netherlands
Previous studies suggest that measuring ethnic segregation at a disaggregated level allows capturing variability of ethnic concentration areas within a city. However, many ignore the relative locations of each neighbourhood to identify ethnic concentration areas. It causes misidentification of ethnic concentration areas. Using the 2009 population data of Enschede, this study investigated the concentration areas at postcode level. The "scale of the neighbourhood" represents the extent of concentration influenced by population in neighbouring postcodes. Using composite population at different scales of neighbourhood, it was revealed that concentration areas at sub-city level are characterized by isolation and clustering dimensions. Few postcodes are Turkish or Moroccan concentration areas which are located outside the city center. Small number of cluster and isolated area indicates that the ethnic concentration in Enschede is relatively low. The study has advanced the hypothesis about segregation measurement, that spatial proximity to neighbouring areas has a large impact on variability of ethnic segregation.