SUPER-DIVERSITY

and Its implications

Analiza Perez-Amurao PhD in Multicultural Studies

Super-diversity and its Implications

Introduction Diversity in Britain New Immigrants & the emergence of super-

diversity Super-diversity: Social scientific challenges Super-diversity: Policy challenges Conclusion

Introduction

world in one city idea

In 2012, our multicultural diversity will mean every competing nation in the Games will find local supporters as enthusiastic back home (www.london2012.org/en/city/onecity).

Introduction

transformative diversification of diversity

More ethnicities & countries of origin

Multiplication of significant variables

Introduction

Variables Resulting in Diversity

Ethnicity Differential immigration statuses Entitlements & restrictions of rights Divergent labor market experiences Discrete gender & age profiles Patterns of spatial distribution

Mixed local responses by service providers & residents

SUPER-DIVERSITY

Introduction

Differential immigration Mixed local statuses responses by Entitlements & service restrictions of providers & rights residents Patterns of spatial distribution

Superdiversity

Ethnicity

Discrete Divergent gender & age labor market profiles experiences

the article serves as a call, or at least a reminder, to social scientists and policy-makers to make more sufficient account of the conjunction of ethnicity with a range of other variables when considering the nature of various communities, their composition, trajectories, interactions and public service needs. ---Steven Vertovec

Introduction

Introduction

[T]heories developed in the past may have only limited application in the study of multi-group relations today.
--Eric Fong and Kumiko Shibuya, 2005, 613

Diversity in Britain

[T]he city was populated by Cymric Brythons and Belgae, by remnants of the Gaulish legions, by East Saxons and Mercians, by Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, by Franks and Jutes and Angles,

to form

mingling together
(Ackroyd, 2000, p. 702).

all mingled and

Londoners

a distinct tribe of

Diversity in Britain
Late 12th century:
Locals throughout Britain complained that all sorts of foreigners were practicing their own customs. Early 16th century: Such intolerance, starting from the 12th century, piled up & led to riots. Mid-18th century: Fight between those with culturally cosmopolitan outlooks & populist xenophobic attitudes broke out. 19th century: Poets/ Writers said London was one of the most composite populations to be found in the world (Holmes, 1997, p. 10).

19th- 20th centuries:

Significant immigration came from the Irish and the Jews.

Diversity in Britain

Post-war:
Large-scale immigration of African-Caribbean & South Asian peoples prompted a set of changes in public policy.

Diversity in Britain

Post-war:
Large-scale immigration of African-Caribbean & South Asian peoples prompted a set of changes in public policy.

diversity management strategy

Diversity in Britain

1950s 1970s:
Period when the experience of people from Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana & other West Indies places, together with India, Pakistan & Bangladesh was used in most discourses, policies, & understanding of migration & multiculturalism.

Diversity in Britain

1960s 1970s:

Period when rights of entry were gradually restricted until only families of settled migrants could enter.

Large & organized communities were formed.

* community associations * places of worship

Overall goal was promotion of tolerance & respect for collective identities.

* supporting associations & activities * monitoring diversity in the workplace * encouraging positive images in the media & public spaces * modifying public services (health, education, policing, & courts)

Diversity in Britain

MULTICULTURALISM
-was conceived mainly in terms of the African-Caribbean & South Asian communities of British citizens.

-hardly gave attention & space to new, smaller, less organized, legally differentiated & non-citizen
immigrant groups.

- The growth of these groups radically transformed Britains social landscape.

Diversity in Britain

Vertovecs call to action: to re-evaluate in social scientific study as well as policy- the nature of diversity in Britain today (p.16).

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Early 1990s: Marked rise in net immigration & a diversification of countries of origin which coincided with 6 parliamentary measures.

The Asylum & Immigration Acts of 1993, 1996, & 1999 The Nationality, Immigration & Asylum Act 2002 The Asylum & Immigration Act 2004 The Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Bill 2005

the new migration

the new immigrants

multiple dimensions of differentiation

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Net inflows
Since1994: UK net inflows of people

-Britains high economic performance

-Growing inequalities in many developing & middle income countries

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Languages

Still, it is now often proclaimed with pride that 300 languages are spoken in London

(p.1032).

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Religions
among immigrants to Britain, Christianity is the main religion for people born in all continents except Asia. Asia-bornare more likely to be Muslim

For many, religions tend to be broadly equated with countries of origin.

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Migration channels & immigration statuses

Workers Students Spouses & family members Asylum-seekers & refugees Irregular, illegal or undocumented migrants

New citizens

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Gender Indeed many basic features of super-diversityespecially the inter-related patterns surrounding immigrants country of origin, channels of migration, legal status and rights

- tend to have highly gendered

patterns (cf. Kofman et al. 2005).

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Age
Variance in age structure among various ethnic groups reflects different patterns of fertility and mortality as well as migration (GLA, 2005a, p. 6).

Age profiles a decade ago

New immigrant population

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Space/ place
New immigrants often settle in areas with established immigrant communities from the same country of birth (Vertovec, 2007, p. 1041).

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Space/ place
But reports like London: the world in one city," or The world in one country came out misleading, with the Guardian making a mistake in suggesting certain groups are fixed to certain places. increased diversificationis not a matter of increased numbers but relative change in a given locality.

One major avenue by which newcomers have come to places of previously low immigrant density has been through government dispersal to relieve pressure on councils[dispersing] people seeking asylum.

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Space/ place
New immigrants with less established networks and patterns of settlement are currently being drawn to locations with a wider range of employment opportunities.

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Transnationalism
the extent and degree of

transnational engagement has

intensified due in large part to changing technologies and reduced telecommunication and travel costs
(p.1043).

New immigrants & the emergence of super-diversity

Transnationalism
FACTORS INFLUENCING TRANSNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT
Migration channel & legal status Migration & settlement history Community structure Gendered patterns of contact Political circumstances in the homeland

Economic means

Super-diversity: Social Scientific challenges

PROBLEM: The manner of studying immigrants is still based on the Chicago school of urban studies done in the early & mid-part of the last century looking comparatively at processes of assimilation which masked clear comparison of groups overlooking significant trends.
The sheer diversity of old-timers & new immigrants The existence of social dynamics differentiated by variable conglomerations of race, immigration status, gender, economic activity and neighborhood. The existence of other variables such as age, income and occupational types.

The development of other techniques for research.

Super-diversity: Social Scientific challenges

The sheer diversity of old-timers & new immigrants The existence of social dynamics differentiated by variable conglomerations of race, immigration status, gender, economic activity and neighborhood. The existence of other variables such as age, income and occupational types. The development of other techniques for research.
New patterns of inequality & prejudice New patterns of segregation New experiences of space & contact New forms of cosmopolitanism & creolisation New bridgeheads of migrations Secondary migration patterns Transnationalism & integration Methodological innovation

Research policy nexus

Super-diversity: Policy challenges

SUPER-DIVERSITY impacts on the current development of public policies & practices.

Community organizations

Public service delivery

Conclusion

SUPER-DIVERSITY arises from the complex interplays of the various factors mentioned.

Changes require social scientists to go beyond existing theoretical frameworks & methodology to explore the complexity of the multiethnic group context (Fong & Shibuya, 2005, p. 299). Discovering and acknowledging the nature and extent of diversity is a crucial step in the development of adequate policies (Vertovec, 2007, p. 1050)

policy responses to diversification rest on political will and vision (Vertovec, 2007, p. 1050).

Reference

Vertovec, S. (2007). Super-diversity and its implications, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30: 6, 1024-1054.