Beyond the Multi-Ethnic Metropolis - Assignment Example

A Critique of the Research Reeve, Kesia & Robinson, David (2007). 'Beyond the Multi-ethnic Metropolis: Minority Ethnic Housing Experiences in Small Town England', Housing Studies, vol. 22, no. 4, pp.547 - 571. Credibility of author(s) : Dr David Robinson has led and been involved in the delivery of numerous research projects, for a range of organisations, including government departments, The Housing Corporation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, housing associations and local authorities. He has published numerous policy orientated papers and reports and articles in professional journals, as well as papers in peer-reviewed academic journals and book chapters. He is joint editor of the online journal People, Place and Policy and was co-editor of Community Cohesion in Crisis: New Dimensions of Diversity and Difference, recently published by Policy Press. Particular areas of Dr Robinson's specialisation are housing market change, social and community cohesion, neighbourhood experiences of new immigration, understanding and responding to racialised inequalities in housing ,homelessness Dr Robinson has published many reports, academic papers and undertaken projects. He is also a supervisor to a number of doctorate students (CRESR1) Dr Kesia Reeve has been undertaking research in the field of housing for 10 years, during which time she has delivered and managed over 25 research projects for a range of organisations including DCLG, The Housing Corporation, The Chartered Institute of Housing, The Countryside Agency, The Social Exclusion Unit, Shelter, Crisis and various local authorities. Much of Kesia's research activity has focused on groups experiencing disadvantage in the housing market, alongside a developing strand of work exploring immigration and social cohesion at the neighbourhood level. Her interests include homelessness, gypsies and travellers, the housing needs of other vulnerable and marginalised groups, minority ethnic housing experiences, the neighbourhood experiences of new immigration, social cohesion and neighbourhood change (CRESR 2). Both the authors are with CRESR (Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research) of Sheffield Hallam University. Their experience shows full competence in conducting the research under critique. Detection of biases: This study analyse the constraints on the housing opportunities of minority ethnic households. These are the outcome of discriminatory working of the housing system, including landlords, letting agents, estate agents and mortgage finance companies (Harrison as in this study, p 549). Moreover, the deep rooted racial feeling has marked some place out of reach of the minorities and ethnic population (Phillips et al. as in this study, p 549). The authors also find it biased that almost half the studies were undertaken in London, with the remainder being undertaken in 24 major towns and cities commonly understood to be major centres of minority ethnic settlement. Such a trend indicate an aspatial approach, focusing on aspects of the policy context, specific minority ethnic groups and housing conditions, needs and requirements, and remaining largely unconcerned about the different local circumstances in which minority ethnic housing. experiences are situated (Harrison; Tomlins , p 550). While Because of very high white population the rural countryside is treated as the symbol of white English national identity in policy and political decisions. Minority ethnic people in the district are more likely to be living in overcrowded accommodation than white British residents. Overcrowding was a particularly common problem among the Bangladeshi, Chinese and Pakistani population. Commonly reported problems included damp and condensation, ineffective heating systems, poor insulation around doors and windows, hazardous environments such as broken doors and windows, inadequate or malfunctioning amenities and poor quality repairs and maintenance (p556.) Identifying the purpose of the research: In the United States, substantial consideration has been given to the association of place of residence with economic disadvantage. This fact has added to understand polarization there. More recently, de Souza Briggs (2007) has pointed out that changes in settlements reflect the changing geography of race and opportunity (550). With this view the study is conducted basically to explore the neglected housing experiences of minority ethnic people in small town England. To discuss this aspect two key points are asserted. First, that minority ethnic people living in small towns bump into many of the same housing inequalities as their counterparts in metropolitan England. Second, that small town England presents a series of unique challenges demanding distinct responses not answered by the existing evidence base. This paper emphasises that place plays an important role in deciding minority settlement patterns but very few studies have made effort to these to the place (549). Research and policy look for multiethnic metropolis for specific social, cultural, political , economic and material situation while the rural and small town England is overlooked .Though such a need arises as Countryside Agency reported that by 2001 nearly 600 000 minority ethnic people were recorded as living in the 184 rural districts of England accounting for 4.3 per cent of the total population in these areas (551). . Identifying the context of the research: The research so far has failed to acknowledge that place of living affects housing experiences of the ethnic minorities. In fact there are few studies on minority ethnic housing experiences at different locations and even these are related to major towns . Despite the fact that increasing number of ethnic minority population is settling in the rural and small town England , yet the fact has been ignored by the researchers. The analysis of the 2001 Census of Population has revealed that increasing numbers of minority ethnic households are moving beyond the multi-ethnic metropolis (Dorling & Thomas, 2004) and new immigrants are reported to be settling in relatively large numbers in rural districts (Audit Commission, 2007; TUC, 2004, p 548). The study points to creating suitable environment for dispersal of ethnic minorities. Consideration of ethical issues : There is a long history of settlement of minority ethnic groups in North Lincolnshire which began in early 1950s. Early settlers are South Asian including Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi, Irish and Somali households. All these ethnic groups (except the Irish) are residentially concentrated in neighborhoods adjacent to Scunthorpe town centre. They have increased from 2.5 per cent of the total population in 1991 to 4 per cent in 2001. The fresh immigrants are mostly employed in the local food processing industry. The presence of new immigrant groups which may include Iraqi, Iranian, Yemeni, Ethiopian, Nigerian, Polish, Ukrainian and Portuguese, remains largely concealed because of the insensitivity of ethnic categorisations employed in formal monitoring system. The present theme of the research is applied specifically to a case study of this population as: Usual problems, same as in metropolis ethnic living and specific constraints of the Scunthorpe and strategies to overcome these. The clustering or highly segregated minority housing with deprived amenities are discussed ( 553-554). Assessing fitness for purpose: Though the study raises a valid question about space related problems of minorities yet the concept requires clarification of some points and much extensive data. There are still few minority immigrants in the rural and small town England and so these can be treated as a whole under minority category rather than splitting them according to cultural lines. If there are lack in policies at national level which show discrimination against minorities or racial hostilities then these have not been adequately evidenced. Moreover, no efforts of minorities to absorb themselves in core British society are reported either. Methodology : It is a secondary analysis of data available about this issue. Case study of north Lincolnshire using 2001 census data as a source of deprived and overcrowded accommodation and tenure ship. The unique feature of article i. e. specific situations and experiences of the minority housing in small town England has been emphasised through these data . A total of 51 in-depth, face-to-face interviews and two focus groups with minority ethnic people of various ages drawn from across the different minority ethnic communities resident in the district were undertaken in north Lincolnshire by Robinson et al (2005 as on 554) Methods : Data collection took place in 2004 in North Lincolnshire. The demographic and housing situations of different minority ethnic groups in the district were profiled through detailed analysis of the 2001 Census of Population and key themes and issues raised were subsequently explored through qualitative fieldwork. The other data source is face to face interviews with the minorities as compiled by Robinson et al (2005). The method overlooks the cultural leanings of immigrant ethnic minorities resulting in choosing their way of life. For e. g. more than half the British Muslims are located in and around London since the concentration gives them build institution and maintain an Islamic way of life. Moreover language barriers and educational backwardness prevented them from communicating authorities about their constraints. Besides, isolation of British Muslims from larger British community is their own making as well. Since they invited their family and friends to UK and created their own cultural enclosure rather than mingling with British community (Syed, 2006) Assessing the research results : Two issues are the theme of study . One, the common problem as in metros. Second, particular problems of small town living which are explained as a) clustering in particular neighbourhoods of towns and cities is for mutual support in cases aggression and discrimination on racial account. These localities of ethnic minorities also provide cheap accommodation. According to recently developed classifications of urban and rural areas more than 21.4 per cent of white British people in England live in rural settlements, compared with just 5.4 per cent of ethnic minorities, and while 11.4 per cent of white British people live in villages, hamlets and dispersed dwellings, only 3 per cent of the minority ethnic population reside in such settlements. In North Lincolnshire, The reasons for 'racialised' notions of space and fear or experience of racism emerged as a critical factor in explaining the settlement patterns of minority (p 560). Living in clusters offers other opportunities as well, such as: 1) resources because of presence of larger minority ethnic group such as worshipping place etc. 2) It gives a very visible collective presence 3) As the affluence increases the population disperses more (p 564). The specific constraints are also reflected in b) Policy, Practice and Service Delivery or in fact lack of these as 1) Individually, households can adopt different strategies in response to various constraints of rural living. These might include avoiding particular institutions or locations or coping with lack of services with the help of family and friends. While collectively they can also fight these constraints with the system 2) Reform has been promoted through CRE Codes of Practice and the introduction of new legal duties, for example, contained in the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and Equal opportunities policies. The actions of key individuals in the housing system, as well as the discriminatory consequences of the policy and procedures of housing agencies such as building societies, estate agents, letting agents, housing associations and local authorities contribute to housing bows of minorities (p566). The outcome has some basis as employing black and ethnic minority (BME) persons in the housing sector does help in cultural and linguistic needs of their group. These BME housing employees are more sympathetic and supportive to minorities also (Flynn, 2007). The study sidelines some established facts by treating these lightly viz. The housing circumstances of minority ethnic households were often understood to be primarily a consequence of choice and 'of their own making'. Cultural preferences were also considered the reason for clustering. 2) The consequences also resulted as minorities particularly those with poor English language proficiency were not adequately aware of provision and support available to them. As a result they could not secure help. Data presentation : The study is a secondary analysis of 2001 census data for the minority ethnic population, Households living in deprived housing situations, People living in overcrowded accommodation, Tenure by ethnicity of North Lincolnshire. Besides, Proportion of white British and minority ethnic population in rural and urban England, Proportion of people in England from different ethnic groupings living in rural and urban , Percentage of people from different minority ethnic groups living in rural settlements have been taken from Neighbourhood Statistics. The excerpts from interviews stating some parts of the district as racist, white and hostile are also emphasised. Appropriateness: In North Lincolnshire, for example, comments made by minority ethnic respondents about the district's rural vicinity and its villages and hamlets being 'out of bounds' were deeply laced with reference to 'otherness' or difference from the 'norm' and a concern about 'not fitting in'. Meanwhile, in public and political discourses the situations, experiences and requirements of different minority ethnic groups had found no place and no need was felt by the service providers to consider their particular situation. These findings underline the importance of including place into analysis of minority ethnic housing experience. However, the fact that ethnic minorities are asserting high degree of autonomy and it is bygone era when there existence interpreted as discriminated race in Britain (Peach, 1998) is overlooked. Moreover, the poor housing conditions of ethnic minorities had been due to their position in lower occupational rungs, the pattern and timing of their migration, family size and housing structure besides discriminatory attitude of British society. The place of settlement probably does not put specific constraint all by itself (George & Wilding, 1984.) Generalisability : A north Lincolnshire case study is presented to highlight housing inequalities for minorities in rural and small town England. But the study can not be generalized effectively for other areas of rural England since space is an independent variable specific to region under study. More studies are needed to confirm unique impact of space in minority housing inequality. Conclusions : The study strongly highlight that 'idyllic' and 'white' rural England does not accept ethnic minorities as they do not fit into 'norm' and are 'others' (p568). However no evidences to prove these claims are presented rather the old beliefs are presented as such. Other problems of sociocultural segregation, racial hostilities and deprived housing facilities are common to elsewhere in England. There are no distinct evidence based conclusions about space related unique constraints. The scarce minority population anywhere would undergo same ordeal. In fact, some housing officials avoid using the term 'ethnic minority' lest they specifically make them target of harassment (MacEwen, 2002). Are they related to the research results : The demarcation between usual metropolis and rural and small town specific minority housing inequalities is hazy. The researchers could not make clear distinction between minorities' own preference to remain excluded and actual space related factors forcing clustering. Does the study achieve its aims or adequately test its hypothesis : The study re-emphasise housing inequalities against ethnic minorities and their social exclusion taking rural and small town England as base. But the clear link between these claimed problems with the space could not be established . It seems the problem is of scant presence of these races in chosen area of study so instead of large national policy level decision a local attention may be paid to problems of minorities based on the study. Many housing councils have already made provisions for ethnic minority by including enhance and facilitated communication and zero tolerance towards racial harassment. (Merton, 2009). The clustering or segregation is not always bad, it is good segregation also when minorities wish to remain in similar cultural, linguistic environments and their clustering should not be labeled as 'Ghettoisation'. Rather the places of their choice may be upgraded to make these similar to white areas. Moreover the crucial issues of births, young people raising families, inviting their friends and family to live with them etc have not been considered. (Harrison & Philips, 2003; Simpson, 2009). One more aspect not touched in the study is reluctance of ethnic minorities to assimilate in the core British society (Interrogating Segregation, 2009). It can be through membership of clubs, institutions and intermarriages (Syed, 2006). An equal effort from both the sides is required for dilution of ethnicity. Since the term ethnicity in itself biggest reason for segregation (Peach et al , 1981). There are other minority related issues that affect housing for Asians who generally do not want to disperse. They value owning a house in their localities. Mortgage and loans are difficult for Asians because they violate rules by subletting, multiple occupation. So they pool the assets of the family and buy houses (Rosof, 1983). Usefulness for housing studies or the housing field Implications for practice: The study does point out strongly that clustering and deprived housing for ethnic minority is neither in favour of these groups nor in the large national interest. They have said so using a new dimension of place. It may be useful study since regulations can only eradicate visible discrimination while indirect discrimination may only be removed by change in the attitude (Cleary, 2004). Tomlin (1997) suggests about a change in overall housing policy that Europe should embrace a pluralistic housing policy. This would include facilitating opportunities for minority ethnic self-provision of housing alongside universal provision. Re-evaluation of clustering and housing inequalities is in larger interest though since overcrowded housing has been linked to respiratory illness, infectious diseases, mental health problems, disruption at school and other problems (2001 census as in Frith, 2003). Secondly, the removal of racial harassment would enhance dispersal of these minorities and phasing out of ethnicity (Peach, et al 1981). It would help them interact with non-ethnic groups and come into main line. References Cleary , S (2004). 'Housing and employment conditions experienced by minority ethnic groups in the UK'. http://www.seanliamcleary.com/userimages/Ethnic_Groups.pdf [29 Mar 2009] CRESR 1 Centre for regional economic and social research http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sp_david_robinson.html [ 28 Mar 2009] CRESR 2 Centre for regional economic and social research http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sp_kesia_reeve.html [ 28 Mar 2009] George, V & Wilding, P (1984).The Impact of Social Policy. Routledge Flynn, Ronny (2007). 'Black and minority ethnic employment in social housing'. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/491979.pdf [ 27 Mar 2009] Frith, M (2003, May 8). 'Britain today: A nation still failing its ethnic minorities. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-today-a-nation-still- failing-its-ethnic-minorities-538204.html Harrison, M & Philips, D (2003). ,Housing and Black and Minority Ethnic Communities: Review of the evidence base,' Office of the deputy prime minister Interrogating Segregation: Re-Examining Socio-Economic Inequalities of South Asians in the UK, http://epc2008.princeton.edu/download.aspxsubmissionId=80098 [27 Mar 2009] MacEwen, M (2002). Housing, Race, and Law: The British Experience. Routledge Merton, Ethnic minority Housing Strategy for Merton, 2004- 2006 http://www.merton.gov.uk/exexsummary_04-2.pdf, [29 Mar 2009] Peach , C 1998). 'South Asian and Caribbean Ethnic Minority Housing Choice in Britain', Urban Studies, Vol. 35, No. 10, pp1657-1680. Peach, C, Robinson, V & Smith, S (1981). Ethnic Segregation in Cities. Taylor & Francis Rosof, PJ (1983). Ethnic and Immigration Groups: The United States, Canada, and England, Haworth Press. Simpson, L (2009). 'Migration, race and population dynamics: explaining Britain's ethnic geography', A project proposal at university of Manchester, http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/research/mrpd/research/documents/LeverhulmeMigrationRaceandPopulationDynamics.pdf [ 27 Mar 2009] Syed, FA (2006). Integration and Isolation: A Comparative Study of Immigrant Muslims in the United States and the United Kingdom. Thesis submitted to University of Pennsylvania Tomlins, R (1997).'Officer discretion and minority ethnic housing provision', Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 179-197. . . . Read More