A tale of four cities

Neighbourhood diversification and residential desegregation in and around England's 'no majority' cities

Bibliographic Data

ID5286035
AuthorsRichard Harris (0000-0001-7943-9005, School of Geographical Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume190
Issue2
Publication date2024-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7398 • E-ISSN: 1475-4959
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/geoj.12561
OpenAlexW4388724896
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited52

The publication of the 2021 Census data revealed that four English cities-Birmingham, Leicester, London and Manchester-are now 'no majority' cities, meaning that no ethnic group, including the White British, comprise a majority (more than half) of their populations. This paper explores the residential diversification of these cities to ask: whether that diversification is reflected in the average neighbourhood of all ethnic groups or just some; whether the decline in the number of White British means that 'enclaves' of other ethnic groups are emerging instead; whether the White British are avoiding living in diverse neighbourhoods; and whether a co-occurrence of the diversification is that residential segregation between the White British and other groups is increasing within and beyond the boundaries of these cities. Using a harmonised set of cross-census neighbourhoods to provide a consistent geography across the 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses, the results show that the residential neighbourhoods of the four cities have increased their ethnic diversity for the average member of all ethnic groups. Despite some growth in the number of neighbourhoods where a group other than the White British form a majority, especially in Leicester, the overall conclusion is one of residential diversification happening alongside residential desegregation

Archaeology · Census · Desegregation · Diversification (marketing strategy · Ethnic group · Geography · Neighbourhood (mathematics · Political science · Population · Sociology · White (mutation · White British · Demography · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies · Urbanization and City Planning

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