1. Toward A Model of Assimilation

2. Case Study “Are there ethnic enclaves/ghettos in English Cities?” Copyright by Gale Group, Inc. Ron Johnston, James Forrest and Michael Poulsen

3. Purpose Assimilation in urban centers remains an issue of importance in doing strategy in multicultural societies. What factors play a part in assessing assimilation? (Social exclusion, equal treatment, etc.) How should these be studied? –Quantified? Indexed? Key Indicators that are not indexed?

4. Scope of Study Identified residential area types according to degree of ethnic mixing Compared residential area types in 18 English cities Found varying degrees of assimilation in the same setting for different ethnic groups

5. Melting Pot Model of Assimilation We tend to see the rest of the world through our eyes regarding assimilation. –US cities are melting pots, and we assume that other international cities are as well. –A vision of urban society divided between a “host society” and “ethnic groups” (guests). Assimilation = unlearning an ethnic group’s cultural status to blend in United States Americanization

6. Melting Pot Model Migrants enter cities Spatial Concentration in ethnic enclaves, separate from host neighborhoods Over time, ethnic group members expected to become assimilated (Americanized) “The decline of cultural and social distinctives” is the goal.

7. Melting Pot Expanded Degree of Assimilation reflects four influences –How recently an ethnic member has arrived in the city –Economic and labor situation –The degree to which ethnic members retain their “separate” cultural identity –Attitudes toward host society

8. Multicultural Model of Assimilation Australia, New Zealand and Canada Promotion and maintenance of ethnic enclaves Differences are accepted and celebrated Goal: Equal opportunity for all without changing identity

9. Why would someone resist assimilation? Ethnic networks offer support in the face of disadvantages in the host context Reduction in isolation or loneliness among “our own people” Business networks which support the ethnic networks (We buy from ourselves.)

10. Why would someone desire assimilation? Greater access to information and jobs Better education and positive opportunities at improving lifestyle Breaking out of the ethnic stigma that you are a “guest.”

11. So lets begin to describe it: Assimilating=What are you allowing to disappear over time? Retaining=What are you unwilling to surrender over time? Segregating=What pressures do you feel from your host culture to remain separate from their dominant society? Polarizing=Is it possible to escape from the ghetto

12. Typology of Residential Types Uneveness (How unevenly distributed in the city is this people group?) Exposure (Are members of people groups exposed to each other?) Concentration (How do people groups physically occupy space in a city?) Centralization (To what extent is this people group in the inner-city?) Clustering (Do people groups retain their zongos?)

13. Residential Area Types Assimilating-A large portion of an ethnic group (20% or more) is living in a neighborhood where at least 50% of the people are the host culture. Minority Mixing-A large portion of an ethnic group is living among another large ethnic group Polarizing-Two ethnic groups living in the same neighborhood but separated Ghettos-high concentration of an ethnic group without opportunities to leave that environment

14. Taking a look at examples 18 Cities in England At least one non-white ethnic group of 2000 members or more Distribution of 10 immigrant ethnic groups across 4 residential area types

15. Of the Bangladeshis living in London, 15% are living among another significantly sized ethnic group without mixing with them. Very little polarizing or ghetto-like pressures. What do you think happens when an Indian arrives in London? Opportunities offered and opportunities won. The rest are living “successfully” within the host culture and “fully” accepted.

16. Of the 60,000 Indians living in Leicester, 43% of them live in a ghetto environment.

17. Implications Assimilation after a move to a new place is not automatic There are good reasons to assimilate and good reasons people resist assimilation Assimilation cannot be assumed without careful study, and this study is not lost time; it is able to inform strategy The end of the process is not assimilation; emerging segments and strata will arise, build identity, and morph into new groups. Many times, when people groups move into cities, they assimilate faster in larger mega- cities than smaller towns. Those wanting to reach Mega-cities must identify people groups, their residential communities, and their assimilation status. To the degree assimilation is happening in a group, the strategy has to reach a people where they are moving (like a forward pass). To the degree that assimilation is resisted, the worldview from the ethnic core is more applicable. World views at the ethnographic core should be duplicated among the same ethnic group apart from the ethnic core to understand what is being retained and what is being surrendered.