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According to new research published today in the Society’s journal, The Geographical Journal, England and Wales are more ethnically diverse – and less segregated – than ever before.
The research, led by Dr Gemma Catney from Queen’s University Belfast, is the first peer-reviewed analysis of the changing geographies of ethnic diversity and segregation in England and Wales using data from the 2021 Census.
The researchers found that ethnic residential segregation has been steadily decreasing over the last three decades (1991-2021) for all ethnic groups.
The study showed that England and Wales are increasingly ethnically diverse and mixed. Across thousands of neighbourhoods, people from White, Black, Asian, mixed and other ethnic groups are now living side by side.
The researchers also found that:
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The most diverse district in England and Wales is the London borough of Newham, where people of Bangladeshi heritage had a 16% share of the population, followed by White British (15%), other White (15%), Black African (12%) and Indian (11%). People from other ethnic groups made up the remaining third of Newham’s population.
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Outside of London was also ethnically diverse. In Slough (the sixth most diverse district), the top four ethnic groups were White British (24%), Pakistani (22%), Indian (19%) and other White (11%). And in Manchester the largest ethnic groups were White British (49%), Pakistani (12%), Black African (9%) and other White (6%).
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Ethnic diversity, measured using the Reciprocal Diversity Index, grew steadily across England and Wales as a whole, increasing from 2.02 in 2001, to 3.56 in 2011, and to 5.14 in 2021.
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The growth of ethnic diversity at national and district levels is mirrored at the local level. Many neighbourhoods in large cities (such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Leicester) have grown in diversity, as well as neighbourhoods beyond metropolitan areas. The researchers found fewer neighbourhoods with low levels of ethnic diversity than ever.
Commenting on the findings, lead author Dr Gemma Catney commented: “The Census is the gold standard for obtaining a full and detailed picture of how the UK’s population is changing. The publication of data in November provided an unrivalled opportunity for us to gain insights into the changing ethnic mosaic of England and Wales. After in-depth analysis, our research shows that people are more likely than ever to live next door to someone of a different ethnic background to their own. The population of England and Wales are more ethnically diverse and mixed, and less segregated than ever before.”
Launching in February, the authors of the study are next collaborating on a new £1m project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, entitled: Geographies of Ethnic Diversity and Inequalities (GEDI). GEDI is a major collaboration with colleagues at several UK and US universities, and the Society is a project partner alongside the Runnymede Trust.