Segregation & Change Over Time (Edexcel A Level Geography)

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International Migrants & Segregation

  • International migrants tend to cluster in distinctive places across cities (known as enclaves), such as:

    • Russian oligarch families in Kensington and Chelsea, London

    • Indian community in Hounslow, London

  • The level of ethnic segregation varies and changes over time due to:

    • Economic indicators e.g. income and employment

    • Social indicators e.g. health, crime and education

Indicators Linked to Ethnic Segregation

Economic indicators

Social indicators

Areas of deprivation and affluence can become inhabited by different ethnic groups

  • Rich Russians in Chelsea

  • Poor Bangladeshis in Tower Hamlets (One of the 10% most deprived areas in England)

Language barriers and racial discrimination may reduce the chances of employment and earning a higher income

International migrants are more likely to live in cheap, poor-quality housing, where there is less investment in healthcare and education

Some ethnic groups experience high levels of deprivation 

Migrants feel more supported and protected when surrounded by people from the same culture

Clustering of similar ethnicities can increase political power, leading to more influence in local decision-making 

Middle-income groups may leave an area (perhaps due to prejudice and racism) and leave behind a particular ethnic group, creating segregation

Social hostility from the majority population

Russian oligarchs in London

  • London is one of the main capitals of the super-rich, including wealthy Russian oligarchs

  • Russians have bought £1.5 billion worth of property in the UK since 2016

    • There are an estimated 1,895 Russian-owned properties in London

    • Eaton Square, an exclusive garden estate in Belgravia (London), is nicknamed "Red Square" because of its many wealthy Russian residents e.g. Roman Abramovich

  • London is attractive to investors:

    • Property prices can increase by 10% annually

    • Before 2022, a £2 million investment allowed foreign investors to receive a visa, which offered residency to them and their families

    • The British pound holds its value more consistently than the Russian rouble

      • The Russian economy is volatile due to the Ukraine war and the economic sanctions placed on Russia

    • Owning UK property gives investors access to bank accounts and private schools

Worked Example

Using Figure 2 below, suggest one reason why recently-arrived Asians tend to live in the area indicated  

[3 marks]

IMAGE

A map showing ethnic segregation in part of Chicago, (USA) 

  • A starter reason is required, which is then extended for a further two points

  • The answer needs to be based on the map shown in the resource

  • There should be a link to the resource in the answer

    • It doesn't have to be a direct quote or use of data

    • It could be an idea or example triggered by the map

  • More than one reason cannot be credited

Answer:

Recently-arrived Asians will be attracted to this area in Chicago as there could be an existing cluster of Asian people there, including family members or friends, who can offer housing and economic opportunities in this inner-city area or the nearby CBD. This clustering means there also will be shared characteristics (e.g. language and belief systems), meaning new immigrants feel more supported. 

Ethnic & Cultural Characteristics of Urban Areas

  • Changes in the urban landscape occur when an area has a high concentration of ethnic groups, including the introduction of:

    • Places of worship

    • Restaurants - ethnic cuisines

    • Grocery stores - ethnic foods

    • Clothes shops - traditional clothing

    • Social clubs and community building

    • Cultural festivals and ceremonies

    • Cinemas showing ethnic films

    • Non-English signs and advertising

  • The diverse living spaces incorporate social characteristics that reflect the dominant ethnicity and culture e.g. The concentration of South Asian people in Rusholme (Manchester) is reflected in the abundance of curry houses and South Asian supermarkets along its Curry Mile 

  • Southall, part of the borough of Ealing (West London), contains the largest Asian community in London and has experienced changes in its urban landscape to reflect this dominant ethnic group:

    • The majority of shops on the main road of Southall (The Broadway) cater to the Indian and Pakistani community

    • Varied places of worship, including churches, and mosques.There are also ten gurdwara temples to serve the 20,000 Sikhs living in the area

    •  Southall tube station displays signs in English and Punjabi

    • A Southall radio station (Desi Radio) broadcasts in the Punjabi language and plays Bhangra music

Worked Example

Explain how cultural diversity can change the built environment of an urban place

[4 marks]

  • Aim to provide two ways cultural diversity can change the built environment, then either extend that point or provide an example with detail 

Answer:

As migrants from different ethnic and cultural groups move into an urban area, the urban landscape will change to cater to the migrant’s needs, such as the building of places of worship or signs written in the language of the migrants. For example, signs in the Southall tube station are written in Punjabi, where over 20,000 Indians live. Entrepreneurial migrants will set up new shops and businesses in the area to reflect the food and clothing from the migrant’s home environment. The migration of South Asian people into Rusholme (Manchester) in the 1950s led to the development of the Curry Mile, where there is an abundance of curry houses and South Asian supermarkets.

Changes in Perceptions & Experiences

  • Communities evolve economically and culturally as new attitudes and values are introduced into an area

    • This can change the intergenerational experiences and perceptions of living spaces

changing-experience-of-international-migrants
The changing experiences of intergenerational migrants
  • Not all intergenerational migrants experience this positive assimilation as UK 

  • Statistics show that Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME):

    • Are twice as likely to be unemployed as white people

    • Are more than twice as likely as white people to experience extreme poverty

    • The average health of BAME 60-year-olds is similar to that of a white British 80-year-old

    • The number of Muslim children living in overcrowded housing is more than four times the national average

Worked Example

Explain the factors that may result in ethnically segregated communities 

[6 marks]

  • Either develop two factors in greater detail, using examples to illustrate your ideas, or include a range of factors

  • It is beneficial to incorporate historical perspectives in this answer, but as a geographer, you also need to offer an up-to-date comment too

Answer:

When first-generation immigrants move to an area, they are initially attracted to urban areas of low-cost housing as they often have little money and are in search of employment. These areas are usually located in the inner city, which leads to social clustering as migrants feel safer and more secure living in a place with other people who have shared characteristics. This need for safety is also exacerbated by the prejudice and discrimination the migrants may experience when they first arrive, such as the attacks on the Caribbean community that led to the Notting Hill riots in 1958. The need for safety and low-cost housing results in more ethnically segregated communities.

The social clustering of migrants can also increase ethnic segregation. For example, Southall, in West London, currently contains the largest Asian community in London. Over time, its urban landscape has changed to reflect this ethnic group. Now, the majority of shops (clothes, food and restaurants) on the main road of Southall cater to the Indian and Pakistani communities, and ten gurdwara temples were established to serve the 20,000 Sikhs living in the area. As a result, middle-income groups may leave an area (perhaps due to prejudice, racism or tension) and leave behind a particular ethnic group, creating further segregation. In 2011, only 6.3% of Southall Broadway’s residents were White British.

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