UCL GLOBAL MIGRATION NETWORK SYMPOSIUM

Prof. Douglas Massey (Princeton University)

Post-Modern Segregation in the United States: Patterns, Causes, and Consequences in the 21st Century

Discussant: Prof. Ceri Peach (University of Oxford / University of Manchester)

13 January 2011 – 17:30-19:00 (followed by reception)

Venue: Darwin Lecture Theatre,  UCL Darwin Building,  Malet Place,  London, WC1E 7JG [Map]

Book your place: The event is free to attend but booking is required. Please book at:http://migrationsymposia.eventbrite.com/

Abstract:

Residential segregation in the United States was historically arranged so that most whites had little or no contact with racial-ethnic minorities, especially Blacks. Since the 1970s segregation levels, in the case of African Americans, have declined while for other groups, such as Hispanics and Asians, segregation has not increased despite the large growth experienced in their population sizes. However, Massey argues that as racial-ethnic segregation has slowly but steadily moderated, new forms of residential differentiation have emerged, mainly along income and education levels. Socio-economic segregation is not only on the rise, but set in the context of the housing boom and bust over the last two decades this has had important and unforeseen consequences for social inequalities. Anti-density zoning laws and sub-prime predatory loan practices have increased Black residential segregation in US metropolitan areas by reducing the quantity of affordable housing in white jurisdictions and concentrating foreclosures in Black neighborhoods. In this talk, Massey explains how “Post-Modern Segregation” is shaping new urban patterns of socio-spatial difference while perpetuating and exacerbating racial and class inequality in the United States.

Speaker:

Professor Douglas Massey is Henry G Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Massey’s research focuses on international migration, race and housing, discrimination, education, urban poverty, stratification and Latin America, especially Mexico. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society, he is also the current president of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. He is a member of the Committee on National Statistics of the National Research Council and the Immigration Advisory Board of the Russell Sage Foundation and is co-editor of the Annual Review of Sociology.

Prof. Douglas Massey’s homepage

4th Cycle National Metropolis Research Competition

The Call for Proposals for the 4^th Cycle of the National Metropolis Research Competition is now available on the National Metropolis website: http://canada.metropolis.net/competition/4th_researchcomp_e.html.

A recent Statistics Canada Study projects that by 2031 approximately one-third of all Canadians will be visible minorities. (Visible minorities include those who identify/self-select as non-white, but does not include Aboriginals). This projection adds insight to recent studies that show that:

• Socio-economic disparities between racial groups have been growing.
• Visible minorities, particularly those newly immigrated, are consistently overrepresented among the poor in Canada.
• Poverty is increasingly concentrated in visible minority communities and this spatial concentration of poverty is particularly acute in urban areas.

In light of Canada’s demographic trends, an examination of the economic outcomes and consequences of poverty amongst growing visible minorities in Canada, as well as the policies that could prevent and support emergence from poverty, is necessary.

The standard explanation of the factors that can lead to poverty amongst Canada’s growing visible minority communities, these often being immigrant communities, is usually cited as a combination of country of origin; immigration applicant class; literacy and official language capacity; quality of education; time spent in Canada; foreign credential recognition; access to child care and other gender-related factors; urban/rural factors; access to social capital; inter-generational considerations; and discrimination and racism.

This call for research proposals seeks assessments of the adequacy of these standard explanations of poverty and of enduring economic disadvantage amongst growing visible minority communities in Canada.

Proposals should:
A) Articulate an approach to assessing the adequacy of the standard explanations of poverty amongst growing visible minority communities, showing how the standard explanatory factors are understood and how they will be assessed. Proposals will also articulate how the research will determine whether or not there is a need for alternate explanations or enhanced conceptualizations of poverty.
Emphasis should be placed on consequences and outcomes of poverty as well as on the possible solutions. It is suggested that proposals refer to/consider the following components: geographic/spatial concentration of poverty, differences between rural and urban contexts, provincial and territorial differences, age considerations in consequences and outcomes, reactive/protective behaviours and subsequent outcomes (e.g., radicalization), difference due to religious minority contexts, and the role that gender plays in economic outcomes are all welcomed.

B) Indicate as precisely as possible the policy linkages of the proposed research project, based on consultations with relevant policy-makers in Citizenship and Immigration Canada and/or in partnering federal departments; or with policy-makers at the provincial or municipal level. Where appropriate, applicants are also encouraged to indicate the specific implications of the research project for the concerns of, or for programs and services provided by, other relevant stakeholders (e.g., multicultural groups, NGO’s and other immigrant serving groups) based on direct consultations and/or involvement with these stakeholders. Letters of support from Federal, Provincial or Municipal policy-makers are recommended.

To Apply: Click here for application forms available on the SSHRC website.

Submission deadline: October 4, 2010

Ludi Simpson and Tariq Modood on Radio 4 on Challenging the ‘Parallel Lives’ Myth: Race, Sociology, Statistics and Politics

The first fifteen minutes of last week’s Thinking Allowed on Radio 4 is based on Nissa Finney and Ludi Simpson “‘Sleepwalking to segregation’?”. Listen to the interview with Ludi Simpson and Tariq Modood. If you’re like to read in audio, you can listen again at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k9d7y

The BSA Race and Ethnicity Study Group and the BSPS are taking the opportunity of the publication of ‘Sleepwalking to Segregation’? Challenging myths about race and immigration by Nissa Finney and Ludi Simpson (Policy Press 2009) to review recent public debates about ‘race’, immigration and integration. The idea of communities living ‘parallel lives’ and of Britain ‘sleepwalking to segregation’ will be a major focus of the seminar. The occasion will also mark the official launch of Sleepwalking to Segregation.

Challenging the ‘Parallel Lives’ Myth: Race, Sociology, Statistics and Politics

Wednesday May 13 th 2009 10.30 -16.00

London School of Economics

Room LG01, New Academic Building, Lincoln’s Inn Fields

The BSA Race and Ethnicity Study Group and the BSPS are taking the opportunity of the publication of ‘Sleepwalking to Segregation’? Challenging myths about race and immigration by Nissa Finney and Ludi Simpson (Policy Press 2009) to review recent public debates about ‘race’, immigration and integration. The idea of communities living ‘parallel lives’ and of Britain ‘sleepwalking to segregation’ will be a major focus of the seminar. The occasion will also mark the official launch of Sleepwalking to Segregation.

10.30 Registration and refreshments, and Policy Press book display

11.00 Robert Moore (University of Liverpool) Introduction: ‘recurrent themes’

11.20 Ludi Simpson (University of Manchester) ‘Sleepwalking to Segregation’? How do claims of white flight, growing segregation and dangerous segregation persist despite evidence to the contrary? What are the consequences?

12.05 Paul Gilroy (LSE) Race Politics and the retreat from rationality. In the age of ‘evidence based policy development’ why would our leaders choose to set the evidence base on Parallel Lives aside?

12.35 – 13.45 Lunch (sandwich and drink provided), and book display

13.50 to 14.20 Brief introductions from three speakers who will join the morning speakers for a panel discussion:

Debbie Phillips (Leeds and Oxford Universities) will focus on how questions about community cohesion have become intertwined with a racialised political discourse on urban segregation and integration.

Shamser Sinha (CoConvenor BSA Race and Ethnicity Study Group) argues that multicultural communities are displaying solidarities and resisting racism in ways confounding Trevor Phillips’ segregation thesis and its inbuilt reification of cultural, ethnic and racial difference.

Kjartan Sveinsson (Runnymede Trust) will argue that the socioeconomic disadvantage of poor white communities has been cast as an ethnic and cultural problem while larger structural considerations, such as the hierarchical nature of the British class system, are left out of the equation altogether.

14.20 – 16.00 Panel discussion with all speakers, and contributions from the floor

Please note that it is essential to register for this free conference in order to gain admission to the LSE lecture theatre. Please register your name and address and affiliation at:

http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/international/lectures/parallellivesmyth.htm

How to get to LSE: LSE is in central London at Aldwych, WC2A 2AE. The nearest underground station is Holborn, which is on the Central line or Piccadilly line. Click on this hyperlink for further information:

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/mapsAndDirections/howToGetToLSE.aspx

The event takes place in the New Academic Building which can be found in the top left hand corner of this map: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/mapsAndDirections/LSE_CampusMap_web_07.pdf

Conference on Migration, Community and Ethnicity

University of Manchester, 2 April 2009

Bookings are now open for a one-day conference on Migration, Community and Ethnicity on Thursday 2 April 2009 at the University of Manchester. There is an excellent programme of topics and speakers:

Rob Ford, CCSR
British attitudes towards immigrants and ethnic minorities: education, generational change and the slow decline of discrimination

Laura Morales, ISC
The role of social capital in migrant’s engagement in local politics in European cities

Bethan Harries, Sociology and Liz Richardson , IPEG
Housing Aspirations for a New Generation: Perspectives from White and South Asian British Women

Nisha Kapoor, CCSR
Does place matter? Inequalities for South Asians and the neighbourhood context

Gemma Catney & Ludi Simpson, CCSR
Migration from immigrant settlement areas: race and social class

Stephen Jivraj & Naomi Marquis, CCSR
The National Pupil Database: A new method for measuring residential movement with an ethnic dimension

Nissa Finney, CCSR
The migration of young adults of different ethnic groups

We hope to get a wide range of participants and will ensure that there is plenty of time for discussion and questions. There is NO charge for attendance but you MUST book beforehand, particularly as lunch will be provided. To view the programme and book a place please go to
http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/erm/2009-04-02/index.shtml

CALL FOR PAPERS

Migration, Mixing and Ethnic Integration
A session of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Annual Conference
Manchester, 26-28th August 2009

Sponsored by the Population Geography Research Group and the ESRC Understanding Population Trends and Processes (UPTAP) programme

To offer a paper to the session, submit your details (name, institution, email address) and an abstract (max. 250 words) to Nissa.Finney@manchester.ac.uk by Friday 23rd January 2009.

Session organisers: Nissa Finney (University of Manchester), Gemma Catney (University of Manchester), John Stillwell (University of Leeds)

Session description
In Britain and other European countries, recent years have seen a shift in ethnic integration policy from multiculturalism to community cohesion. With this shift has come a renewed emphasis on place and residential mixing. This session explores two themes of these debates. The first theme is patterns of settlement of immigrants and their subsequent migrations that are changing sub-national ethnic geographies. What factors and processes influence these patterns of settlement and migrations? Do they differ between ethnic/migrant groups? What are their implications for ethnic integration, residentially and otherwise? The second theme of the session is the meaning of ethnic residential mixing. Is residential mixing associated with greater integration in other spheres? What are the causal connections between the residential composition of areas and structural and social integration in these locales and beyond?

The session is sponsored by the ESRC’s Understanding Population Trends and Processes (UPTAP) programme. It aims to showcase research being undertaken within the Ethnicity stream of this programme and to present a forum for dialogue between UPTAP researchers, other researchers in the UK and overseas, and policy makers. Speakers are welcome from outside the UPTAP programme, and UPTAP will cover conference costs for all speakers.

Particular topics of the session may include:
Settlement and secondary migration of recent immigrants (e.g. EU Accession immigrants, dispersed asylum seekers/refugees)
Internal migration patterns of ethnic groups: reinforcing or reducing residential segregation?
Housing and migration experiences of immigrant/ethnic groups
Differences in migration experiences for immigrant/ethnic groups for different life stage, social classes, family contexts
Motivations for migration and characteristics of migrants
Mapping and monitoring migration of minority groups
The significance of ethnic residential mixing for health, employment, experience of crime, relationships, social mobility.

http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/ConferencesAndSeminars
http://www.uptap.net/index.html