From multiculturalism to super-diversity Prof. Steven Vertovec ESRC Centre on Migration, Policy and Society University of Oxford

Some core features of multiculturalism  To ensure equality, respect, tolerance  To enable continuity of traditions and identities Representation (‘community leaders’) in local forums Public support for community associations, activities Culturally sensitive service provision (in schools, healthcare, policing, social work, etc.) -- mostly based on ‘corporatist’ model of ethnic groups -- particularly Caribbean & South Asian oriented

In addition to recent setbacks, Multiculturalism faces a further serious set of challenges…

Immigration to/from the UK, Source: ippr, based on International Passenger Survey and ONS

total international migration by country of birth, United Kingdom Source: Home Office

UK 2001: Inflow by region (total 106,820) Source: Home Office

Non-EU Immigration, change source: IPPR

London, home to 42% of UK’s immigrants Migrants (born outside UK) = 2 million (29%) of 7 million 23% came before % came after 1990 Compared to UK-born Londoners: –More migrants with higher qualifications, more with none –More migrants with dependent children 33 groups > 10,000, 12 more > 5, languages

Newham (pop. 243,898) by country of birth source: 2001 Census

Towards ‘Super-Diversity’ In UK, increasingly more people -- from non-’traditional’ source countries (non-colonial link) -- with greater linguistic diversity (300 languages in London) -- in smaller groups (pockets of Columbians, Romanians, Ghanaians, Kurds, Japanese, Afghans, Fujianese, etc.) alongside large, longstanding migrant origin communities -- with differing gender & age profiles per group -- with differing migration status (student – spouse – work permit – EU national – sector based schemes – au pairs – highly skilled – asylum-seekers – refugees – undocumented – citizens) -- with more mobility (spatially and temporally) -- with more sustained transnational links (social, religious, political)

Super-diversity: some implications New patterns of inequality and prejudice New patterns/experiences of space and ‘contact’ –may reduce prejudice / increase respect –cross-cutting ties / networks –may sensitize to spectrum of possible differences –‘hybridity’, ‘interculturalism’, ‘cosmopolitanism’ ‘Corporatist’ models of multiculturalism likely inadequate Prompt shift in public service provision: from ‘community knowledge’-based to ‘generic skills to respond flexibly to all encounters’ with individuals & their cultural variations (Kai 2003)

ESRC Centre on Migration, Policy and Society University of Oxford 58 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 6QS United Kingdom T +44/ F +44/