ASI briefing paper "The Ties that Bind" features in Yorkshire Post article and editorial
New ASI briefing paper " " features a Yorkshire Post article as well as today's editorial. Article:
Increasing levels of racial diversity driven by immigration to British cities have very little negative impact on social cohesion, according to a repot which appears to contradict claims that migration undermines the country’s social fabric.
The Adam Smith Institute concluded that higher levels of diversity can have a slightly negative impact on trust levels - but when it comes to other measures of social cohesion, including civic participation and volunteer work, there is virtually no evidence to suggest a negative effect.
The Institute reviewed literature on the subject which looked at communities in the United States, Europe and the UK. It found that if other factors are accounted for - including economic deprivation - the negative relationship between diversity and cohesion often disappears.
While research from the States found a clear negative relationship between immigration and social cohesion, research in Europe found no negative impacts.
Research in London had found that once economic deprivation is controlled, higher levels of ethnic diversity actually have a positive effect on social cohesion.
The research appears to contradict claims that immigration must be restricted as it undermines the country’s social fabric. The paper does comment on Bradford or other Northern cities which saw disorder in 2001.
Continued p. 2, Yorkshire Post.
Editorial:
Coincidentally, Sir Keith’s comments come on the day that the Adam Smith Institute claimed that greater ethnic diversity in the UK has not had a negative impact on community cohesion. This refutes Mr Farage’s alarmist assertion that children can no longer play football in the streets of some towns because of concerns about immigration. The think-tank also takes Ukip to task for claiming that migrant workers are taking the jobs of people born in Britain; it says immigrants contribute more to Britain’s debt-laden finances than they take out in benefits.
It is a compelling argument which should be heard before any post-election caps or quotas have a counter-productive effect on the economy. The problem for the country’s political elite is that they find themselves in the unenviable position where Mr Farage’s party is making all the running on this issue.
The paper, “The Ties that Bind: An analysis of the relationship between social cohesion, diversity, and immigration”, is a comprehensive review of the academic literature on the relationship between immigration and social cohesion in the Europe, the UK and the United States.
It concludes that higher levels of diversity only lead to a slight negative impact on generalized trust within UK communities; however, there is virtually no evidence to suggest that diversity undermines other measures of social cohesion, including civic participation, trust in authority and volunteer work in the UK. Furthermore, the paper finds that if other factors are controlled for – including neighborhood status and economic deprivation – the negative relationship between diversity and cohesion often disappears.