Social Cohesion in Diverse Communities, Maria Hudson, Joan Phillips, K. Ray, and H. Barnes - Essay Example

Critical Analysis of Research Report: Social cohesion in diverse communities, Maria Hudson, Joan Phillips, Kathryn Ray and Helen Barnes.2007 Introduction This report is the outcome of a year’s social research carried out at two “ethnically diverse” neighbourhoods in Britain: Moss Side in Manchester and North Tottenham in North London (Haringey). It is a qualitative research that seeks to understand the factors and conditions that could encourage socio-communal cohesion in the face of diversity. This study became imperative shortly after September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center and the July 7 bombing of London which has caused an unprecedented increase in hatred toward the immigrants in Britain, particularly to people who practices Islam. This study aims to unravel how immigrants perceive the idea of living in a diverse neighbourhood, investigating their fears, displeasure, resolve and methods of scaling through the entire experience of multiculturalism. Main Criticism (i) Characteristics of Diverse Neighbourhoods:- This research unequivocally shows that Moss Side and North Tottenham are ethnically diverse places with a variety of races and peoples of different gender orientation, religious affiliations and economic statuses. Hudon et al (2007) point out that the neighbourhoods covered in this research have British whites, Irish whites, 2 Africans, Caribbean, Asians and other people of different cultural origins. Can they ever co-exist in peace? Is diversity truly a divisive phenomenon? Can the local authorities ever achieve a condition of true cohesion among people of different races and colours? The other parts of this criticism strive to provide answers to these enigmatic questions. (ii) Social Interactions in Diversity:- Hudson et al (2007) investigates the prevalence, if at all, of good social interactions among people in the two neighbourhoods. Their findings strongly support the hypothesis that “birds of the same feather flock together.” This is because younger people under the age 34 seem to enjoy some measure of interaction irrespective of their race or economic status. Public avenues like schools, churches, playgrounds and leisure centers provide the rendezvous for them to meet and interact (Hudson et al., 2007). On the other hand, older people (55 years and above) in these communities experience some distancing from one another based on social status, economic and political positions. These observations are supported by sociological theories or assumptions that people do not necessarily keep a distance from one another based on cultural or racial diversity, but age, social positions and personal preferences could separate one person from another (Turner, 1988). 3 (iii) Strained Relationship:- Hudson et al (2007) concur that there are some burning issues that have made the relationships among the multicultural residents of Moss Side and North Tottenham. These include but are not restricted to unequal access to: (i) housing; (ii) employment; (iii) and other social infrastructures. And this circumstance has increased the level of resentment each of the races has for one another (Hudson et al., 2007). More so, some advantaged residents of these areas (mostly white British) often accuse the minorities or immigrants as the culprits responsible for making the environment around these places inhabitable through their unhygienic practices (Hudson et al., 2007). Apart from the seemingly positive interactions that exist in schools, public places and elsewhere, a great number of the youths in these areas could not still enjoy good relationship because of the inter-ethnic resentments they had wrongly internalize. One of the most interesting anthropological theories that treats the issue of inter-ethnic strife is discussed by Garbarino (1983) which explains that human beings always find a forceful way to voice out their concerns in the face of inequality and disrespect (Garbarino, 1983). (iv) Identity Issue:- Psychologists often believe that cultural identity contributes largely to the way people behave in a community (Baum, 1994). Each of the ethnic groups that live in Moss Side and North Tottenham has its unique 4 identity that either help in fostering cordial association with the other groups of people or not. The Somali community, in this research, claims to hold on tight to their traditional identity as revealed in food, fashion, mode of action, while absolutely rejecting the concept of Britishness or Englishness; the Caribbean community is more diverse and receptive to the British way of life; there are British and Asian communities as well, which hold their local manners and behavior intact, with respective to their traditional or cultural orientations (Hudson et al.,2007). Even though all these ethnic communities realize the significance of living in social cohesion and understand the benefits such a practice would bring to all of them, certain hindrances still crop to create visible or perceptible resentments inside them and cause them to keep a somewhat social distance from one another (Hudson et al, 2007). (v) All-in-one Community:- Hudson et al (2007) realize that most of respondents to their interviews agreed that while there are micro-communities created along the ethnic lines, it is also helpful if all these communities could coalesce into a single community of diverse cultures, races and colours (Hudson et al., 2007). However, there are some concerted efforts that must be put into this to make it work. According to Hudson et al (2007), they discovered that Residents’ and Tenants’ Association must work together to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding among the ethnic communities; parenting and childcare projects are required to instruct each 5 member of the ethnic communities to learn how to train their kids in the multicultural setting; the community musicians and radios be encouraged to broadcast or promote messages that would entrenched civility and respect for every other ethnic group; also, faith groups and cross-cultural associations should play vital roles in encouraging youths to be nice to one another; and gender and cultural participation should likewise be strongly encourage (Hudson et al., 2007). (vi) Is Social Cohesion Just a Dream? Considering all the facts highlighted above as discovered by Hudson et al (2007), one may think that social or community cohesion—which is defined as the “presence of harmonious relations between different communities—defined by culture, ethnicity or religion—living together in an area” (Hudson et al., 2007) may remain unachievable dream in Britain (Jenson, 2010). However, if the following processes are properly undertaken, this could improve the prospect of social cohesion among ethnic communities in the UK. These processes include but are not limited to: (a) promoting ethnic diversity and discouraging residential segregation; (b) resolving the problem of economic imbalance and promotion inclusion into every sector of the larger community; (c) creating an environment for desirability to be part of the larger community—this can be achieved when the major white community shows receptive behavior to the immigrants and their children; (d) encouraging 6 residential stability and solving any problems arising from place-based identity; (e) strengthening families through programs aimed at encouraging childcare and proper assimilation into the larger community (Hudson et al., 2007). If all these suggestions are properly executed, Britain may be getting closer to its dream of becoming a beacon of multiculturalism in the entire European (Von Meien, 2007). Conclusion The research findings and other explanations provided in the foregoing reveals that Britain is enmeshed in a serious problem caused by the failures of its diverse communities to work out a peaceful co-existence that would guarantee freedom, harmony and community development. Of special interest in this study are the efforts the British Government and other independent organizations have been doing to ensure that people live in peace with one another without necessarily holding resentments against one another for a long time. This paper reveals that each identity of the people in each community must be respected by everyone so as to encourage to act with utmost civility towards one another. And once the identity issue has properly resolved, it will be possible to encourage each member of the ethnic community to see themselves as members of the larger British Community. It is through this approach that social cohesion may be achievable. 7 References Baum, W.M. (1994). Understanding behaviorism: science, behavior, and culture. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Garbarino, M.S. (1983). Sociocultural theory in anthropology: a short history. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press. Hudson, M., Philips, J., Ray, K., and Barnes, H. (2007). Social cohesion in diverse communities. York, UK: Joseph Roundtree Foundation. Jenson, J. (2010). Defining and measuring social cohesion. London, UK: Commonwealth Secretariat. Turner, J.H. (1988). A theory of social interaction. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press. Von Meien, J. (2007). The multiculturalism Vs integration debate in Great Britain. Frankfurt: GRIN Verlag. Read More