Residential Segregation and Social Trust of Immigrants and Natives: Evidence From the Netherlands

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between residential segregation and social trust of immigrants and natives in the Netherlands. Building on previous studies that have found evidence for a negative segregation-trust link, we present a nuanced narrative by (i) distinguishing between an ethnic minority and majority perspective, (ii) elaborating theoretical foundations on the moderating role of individual exposure in the form of ethnic minority concentration in the neighborhood, and (iii) taking income segregation into account. In addition to the refined theoretical framework, our study employs a rigorous empirical approach. Using two waves (2009 and 2013) of the Netherlands Longitudinal Lifecourse Study-a geocoded panel study with an oversampling of Moroccan and Turkish immigrants-we are able to study the influence of (changes in) municipality-level segregation patterns for both natives and immigrants, and consider the roles of both neighborhood ethnic minority concentration, as well as income-based segregation. Results from four-level multilevel models show that ethnic segregation is negatively related to the social trust of immigrants. At the same time, this negative relationship is particularly strong in neighborhoods with a low level of minority population concentration, which provides support for the so-called integration paradox where negative intergroup interactions reduce social trust. For respondents of Dutch origin, we find no evidence that their social trust is sensitive to ethnic segregation or that this relationship is conditional on minority concentration at the neighborhood level.

All cops are trusted? How context and time shape immigrants’ trust in the police in Europe

“…We build on these findings and test the relationship between discrimination and trust in the police longitudinally among individuals in different countries and time contexts. As more time in a destination country allows for more opportunities for negative contact (Ziller and Spörlein 2020), this implies that experiences of discrimination are likely to increase. As a result of such accumulated discrimination experiences, the link between trust in police and feeling discriminated against should become stronger over time:…”

“…If there are negative encounters with police, the chances of such negative contact should increase with a larger police force. This should be especially relevant for immigrants that have spent much time in a context with a large police force, because more time also implies more opportunities for negative contact (Ziller and Spörlein 2020). Police force size might, thus, continue to be an important factor for trust in the police, if immigrants spend much time in such contexts.…”

Is There a Rural Penalty in Language Acquisition? Evidence From Germany's Refugee Allocation Policy

“…Yet intergroup contacts can also achieve other socially desirable effects in addition to migrants' language acquisition, such as reducing xenophobic attitudes within majority groups (Savelkoul et al, 2017 ; Khalil and Naumann, 2021 ). Therefore, it could also be part of a targeted integration policy, for example, to select accommodation for refugees according to local contact opportunities and to specifically avoid too much ethnic segregation (Ziller and Spörlein, 2020 ).…”

Quality of local government and social trust in European cities

“…In a similar vein, studies on neighbourhood effects have found that economic deprivation of neighbourhoods or communities is a critical factor hampering social trust, and that group-based inequalities and residential segregation represent further trust-inhibiting factors (Abascal and Baldassarri, 2015; Letki, 2008; Sampson, 2012; Ziller and Spörlein, 2020). Moreover, residential instability is substantially related to lower levels of local social ties and friendship, and of social trust (Sampson, 1988, 2012).…”