Diversity as a constraint on Social Capital formation: a study of English Schoolchildren Irene Brueg

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Diversity as a constraint on Social Capital
formation a study of English Schoolchildren
Irene Bruegel CRONEM Conference The Future of
Multicultural BritainJune 14th 2005
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Evidence that Diversity undermines Social Capital

• Goodhart (2004) Sweden/Denmark
• Alesina, Alberto La Ferrarra, E (2004) US
  Cities/ GSS Participation rates
• Putnam(2003) Portland Oregon/Citizen action
• McCulloch(2003) UK localities/ Trust
  Participation and New Commonwealth origin
  neighbours
• Page (2004) Frontiers of Performance in the NHS
  Mori

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Meaning of Social Capital

• Social Capital as an outcome of diversity
• ( both treated as static objective
  quantities)
• OR
• Diversity-subjectively understood-, as an
  outcome of social solidarity/ social capital
• ( both treated as dynamic/interactive,
  experiential)

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Concepts of local relationship diversity and trust

• As in research literature

A
B
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Concepts of local relationship diversity and trust

• In wider, more dynamic form

A
B
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Conceptual and Methodological Issues
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• 1. Meaning of Diversity
• 2. Measurement of Diversity
• 3. Concept of proximity/ processes of social
  capital formation
• 4. Varieties of Social Capital/ diversity and
  the bonding bridging distinction

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Our study

• 600 children in 12 primary schools 20 classes
  all mixed gender 4 Catholic, 9 CoE classes
• Between 3.3 and 90.2 of children in the sample
  schools are classified as white british
• 1800 friendships amongst the children
• 1250 with data on ethnicity gender of friends
• Detailed analysis of Inner London classes with
  mixed ethnic intakes and 4 with mixed social
  class intakes
• Distinguish within school-class and out of
  school-class friendships for 250 children

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Ethnic Homogeneity in Local London Primary Schools
Fig 2a
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Proportion of white British Children in local
school areas
Fig 2b
S Bermondsey
SouthwarkCentral
Swrk Riverside
Swrk Camberwell
WestHam
EastHam
Bromley Penge
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Figure 3
of childrens friendships
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Common- ethnicity and mixed-ethnicity friendships

• Similarities
• Gender
• Sharing of interests- in sport/ fashion, music
  etc
• Duration
• Visiting each other/ but not staying over
• Parents knowing each other
• Differences
• Locality
• Degree of friendship outside class
• Degree to which parents said to be friends
• Expectations of continuing to secondary school
  together

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Figure 4
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Figure 5
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Figure 6
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Conclusions

• Ethnic mixing within classes well established
  where the opportunity available opportunities
  are affected by gender division in friendships
• No simple critical mass/ tipping point
• Where opportunity for friendship with children of
  same background limited, there is a tendency to
  seek friendships outside own class, but not
  necessarily of children of same background
• Parents are not visible less supportive of cross
  ethnicity friendships- but concerned with bad
  influences of all kinds
• Friendships across ethnicity appear less likely
  survive transition to secondary school

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Implications for Social Capital

• Segregation between schools most immediate bar on
  development of bridging social capital by primary
  children, and by extension by parents
• Childrens primary school friendships as
  generally long-term, supportive and rooted- hence
  as forms of potential social capital
• The bridging role of many mixed/ other heritage
  children reinforces problems with the concept of
  diversity as defined in the literature
• Other forms of diversity cross-cut ethnicity and
  structure social capital formation
• Institutional processes critical- the
  breaking of inter-ethnic friendship ties in
  transition to secondary school, as an example

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Implications cont

• The bridging role of many mixed/ other heritage
  children reinforces problems with diversity as
  defined in the literature