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Ethnicity, religion and residential segregation in London: new study reveals contrasting patterns of faith and fortune

Thursday 30 August 2007

Religion is a stronger determinant of residential segregation in London than ethnicity, and may be linked with patterns of affluence and deprivation, according to new research published in the journal Environment & Planning B: Planning and Design on Friday 7 September.

The study “Ethnicity, religion and residential segregation in London: evidence from a computational typology of minority communities” by Professor Allan Brimicombe, Head of the Centre for Geo-Information Studies at the University of East London (UEL), uses 2001 census returns for ethnic and religious self-identity, and applies novel mapping techniques to contrast degrees of diversity and segregation at neighbourhood levels.

The results show a marked contrast between patterns of residential segregation by religion as compared with ethnicity, with religion emerging as a more important factor in clustering.

The study also reveals links between religious segregation and broad indicators in social and economic well-being. For example, neighbourhoods with high proportions of Hindus, Jews and Sikhs have lower levels of deprivation, better educational qualifications and higher levels of home ownership than the London average.

Professor Brimicombe says: “While previous studies have focused on residential segregation by ethnicity, the importance of religious self-identity is becoming increasingly recognised. This study highlights the complex patterns of mixing and clustering by religion as well as ethnicity, and offer an improved basis for understanding segregation, deprivation and exclusion in our cities.

“These initial findings of a possible link between residential segregation by religious self-identity and levels of well-being can be taken as evidence that a ‘one size fits all’ policy on residential segregation in our multicultural urban areas is insufficiently perceptive to the needs of individual communities”.

View maps of London’s residential landscape by ethnicity and religion

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For details and pictures contact Patrick Wilson: 020 8223 2061 or 07951 797 975

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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