Combating residential segregation of ethnic minorities in European cities

Abstract

This introduction paper to the special issue on combating residential segregation provides an overview of desegregation policies in European countries. Housing diversification is the main desegregation measure in most countries, while housing allocation measures are also implemented in several European cities to disperse ethnic minorities. A comparison of the five countries covered in this special issue (UK, Finland, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands) reveals that each of them is characterised by a huge gap between an ambitious anti-segregation policy rhetoric and the limited effectiveness of desegregation policies. Housing policies have a limited effect on ethnic concentration, not only because they often contradict each other, but also because they fail to address the main causes of segregation.

Demographic Issues of Intra-European Migration: Destinations, Family and Settlement

“…Previous research has mainly focused on the ethnic dimension of the phenomenon (Bolt 2009), which is often more salient for migrant groups from outside the EU. However, recent studies have shown for the case of Spain that the intensity of residential segregation of eastern European migrants (mainly Rumanians and Bulgarians) in large Spanish cities is similar to that of migrants that arrived in the same period from other parts of the world (Sabater et al 2012).…”

Cultureel-etnische segregatie in het onderwijs: achtergronden, oorzaken en waarom te bestrijden

“…3 Waar ze zich na zich met hun gezinnen verenigd te hebben ook vestigden, voor het overgrote deel kwamen ze, gegeven hun zwakke sociaal-economische positie, in achterstandswijken terecht, hetzij in de periferie, dan wel juist in het centrum van de grote Europese steden (Bolt, 2009;Dagevos, 2009;Semyonov & Glikman, 2009). Ofschoon in de meeste wijken de nieuwkomers zich met de traditionele bevolking zouden blijven mengen, kwam er niettemin een witte vlucht op gang waardoor niet alleen de segregatie, maar ook de concentratie van de etnische minderheidspopulatie bevorderd werd.…”

Location Criteria Relevant for Sustainability of Social Housing Model

“…Numerous studies, some of which date back at the end of the last century, launched the question of the influence that complexes' of social housing and theirs immediate surrounding has on the level of social exclusion within their tenants (Newman 1970, Jacobs, 1961Wilson, 1996;Munch, 2009). Some authors believe that precise urban and architectural approach in the construction of social housing complex had originated high level of different behaviour problems within these complexes (Jacobs, 1961;Newman, 1970;Petrović, 2004;Bolt, 2009), such as: early school abandoning, alcohol and drugs abuse, bullying and etc. Such housing environment further affected the population of these complexes, which resulted with a complete inefficiency of these housing models.…”