Comfort, celebration and loss: contrasting narratives of diversification in a newly diverse area and their implications for intergroup relations.

Woods, Ruth; Kasprzyk, Gosia; Teodorowski, Piotr; Butler-Warke, Alice

Abstract

Many diverse areas of the UK are increasingly divided, with racism, inter-group tensions, residential segregation and territoriality. Acculturation theories provide important insights into these problems from the perspective of migrants, but they neglect non-migrants' experiences, yielding an incomplete picture of how intergroup divisions develop in diverse areas. The aim of the current study was to begin to address this gap by exploring perceptions of intergroup relations of both migrant and non-migrant residents of a newly diverse area. For this qualitative study, we conducted 25 semi-structured interviews with migrant and non-migrant residents of a deprived urban area in Scotland that has recently diversified. Reflexive thematic analysis explored the ways in which intergroup relations and diversity were portrayed by participants, particularly around Scottish and Polish identities, which were most prevalent and salient in the dataset. Participants frequently mentioned the emergence of local tangible Polishness (particularly as language and shops), in the context of three distinct narratives. Many Polish participants framed tangible Polishness as a source of familiarity and comfort in their post-migration lives. Some non-migrants framed it in terms of a positive celebration of diversity. Other non-migrants however framed tangible Polishness as a problematic and threatening loss of familiarity and comfort. Changes following from migration into a hitherto relatively non-diverse area are understood differently by local people, with important implications for intergroup relations. Underlying reasons for the contrasting narratives of change will be considered, along with practical implications for intergroup relations in the area.

Citation

WOODS, R., KASPRZYK, G., TEODOROWSKI, P. and BUTLER-WARKE, A. 2024. Comfort, celebration and loss: contrasting narratives of diversification in a newly diverse area and their implications for intergroup relations. Presented at the 2024 British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section annual conference, 2-4 September 2024, Belfast, UK.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 2024 British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section annual conference
• Start Date: Sep 2, 2024
• End Date: Sep 4, 2024
• Deposit Date: Aug 21, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Diversification; Demographics; Cultural change; Migration; Migrants; Urban areas; Scotland
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2440020