Black Africans in the UK: Integration or Segregation?

Lavinia Mitton& Peter Aspinall

University of Kent

Our research questions

• ‘What are the trends in integration of Black Africans in British society?’

• ‘Are we likely to witness greater polarisation between the Black African and white communities?’

Need to develop indicators that can allow government to evaluate policy

Why we chose ‘Black Africans’

• Growing size More than doubled in size, 1991-2001 Most of its growth (c 80%) due to migration Natural change now important (high fertility rates) Projected increase, London, ~32% (2001-11) &

~14% (2011-2021)

• Diversity - How do patterns differ between Black African sub-groups? Ethnicity Context of migration Language Religion National origins Length of time in UK Demography Socio-economic position

Why we chose ‘Black Africans’ cont.

• Neglected group in the literature: weak evidence base

• Mix of migrants & 2nd generation - a good candidate for research on integration / segregation

• Topic builds on research already undertaken on ‘Black African’ group (in journals Public Health & Ethnicity & Health)

Issues in operationalising the research

• Relatively small group overall (485,000, 2001)

• Skewed in terms of age - predominantly youthful

• Literature review: e.g. US and Canada data, but data limited.

• Fluidity in terms of ethnic identification (Platt et al., 2005)

• Only a third born in UK

• Substantial diversity of recent migrants (Angola, Dem. Rep. Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Zimbabwe)

• Cohort of entry / social & economic context of entry to UK likely to be important

• Geographically concentrated (80% in London)

Components of the research: context

• Review of literature on integration / assimilation models: shortcomings of classic theory, sub-models, new theories

• Review of studies of ‘Black Africans’ in UK & African migrants in USA

• Descriptive analyses of the ‘Black African’ group: diversity in patterns and outcomes (areas of residence, first language of school pupils, educational attainment, etc.), including mapping exercises

• Exploration of concealed heterogeneity (limiting long-term illness / general health: ethnicity by country of birth, etc.)

Refinement of research questions

• What candidate indicators can we derive to measure levels of integration & segregation of the ‘Black African’ group in Britain?

• Are there data that will enable us to look at trends over, say, the last two decades?

• Can indicators be developed from routinely collected data that will be of utility to government in evaluating policies on integration, social cohesion et al.?

Some possible data sources

• Census 1991/2001, with links to deprivation score. Censuses: standard tables, special migration statistics, customised tables, SARs – domains: ethnicity, country of birth, religion, address 1 year ago, etc.; utility: residential segregation, migration, economic activity, qualifications, housing tenure

• LFS, GHS (pooled data) – domains: ethnicity, country of birth and time of arrival in the UK (LFS – where the respondent was living 12 months previously but drawbacks, including requirement that a person be in the country for at least 6 months)

Some possible data sources cont.

• Health Survey for England (HSE) 2004; 2006 HSE (including London Boost* access agreed via LHO) – domains: ethnicity, language, country of birth; utility: household characteristics (such as linguistic isolation), generic health status

• Pupil Level Annual School Censuses (PLASC) (now ‘School Census’) – domains: ethnicity, pupil’s first language (last 2 censuses); utility: educational attainment; mapping diversity

Some possible data sources cont.

• Other possible sources on language (Home Office Citizenship Survey, 2001 & 2003; NATSAL 2000; Millennium Cohort Study; Lambeth PCT population profiling data

• Birth registrations – domain: mother’s country of birth; utility: mapping diversity

• Home Office asylum statistics

• HESA (higher education statistics): ethnic group, country of domicile;

• LSC: ethnic group

Candidate indicators of integration / segregation: (1) Residential segregation 1991-2001

Residential segregation can lead to social exclusion but can also be a source of human capital and community support. Review of media stereotypes (‘self segregation’ et al.)

Good evidence base on measurement methods (Simpson 2004, 2007) Focus on natural increase / migration components Where do ‘Black Africans’ live? (those born in / outside the UK & with

previous address abroad) Where do new migrants go to and where do they go when they move? Where do the ‘Mixed: White & Black African’ group live? Why do Black Africans move at such high rates? Who are the ‘movers’ (what are their characteristics)? Some refocussing may be needed in view of Finney & Simpson’s work

(2007) Source:1991 & 2001 Censuses, incl. question on usual address 1 year

ago

Candidate indicators of integration / segregation: (2) English language ability

• Ideal measure is ability in English for all household members: to derive measure of linguistic isolation

• HSE only source that provides household data but for 16+ age group only

• Likely strong relationship with country origins (e.g. Somalis) & cohort of entry to UK

• May be a relationship with own group ethnic density

• Source: PLASC data (for 2007 & 08) may permit derivation of maps of home language use (but not ability in English)

Candidate indicators of integration / segregation: (3) Housing tenure

• Over the last few years Black Africans have had the lowest levels of owner-occupation & the second highest levels of social sector housing.

• In the USA, too, African migrants have the lowest rates of home ownership.

• Is this linked to the high percentage of movers (also found in the USA)?

• Is it a measure of rootedness in the host country, culturally-based preferences, reflection of financial resources, barriers in the housing market?

• An analysis of the data on movers may provide insights (and reasons will also be sought in the wider evidence base)

• Source: Census and HSE to model significance of variables

Candidate indicators of integration / segregation: (4) Other possible indicators

• Inter-ethnic unions (using 1991 and 2001 Census SARs): types of union, social class positions, relationship to ‘Black African’ ethnic density patterns

• Child-bearing inside / outside marriage (may not be related to integration / segregation but used as such in USA studies)

• Postponement of marriage (as above)

• Educational attainment: data available in PLASC / Pupil Database for ‘Black Africans’ and (more limited) on Somalis, Dem. Rep. Congo, etc. pupils over several years; may be a relationship with own group ethnic density

• Time spent in schooling / progression to further / higher education

• Participation in social institutions (scope for exploitation of data in 2003 & 2005 Home Office Citizenship surveys)

• [Employment has been comprehensively investigated by other researchers]