Social inequalities and racial discrimination powerfully impact on the lives of Britain’s ethnic minorities. These are the two issues that have to be central to any political conversation about race in today’s society. Described by The Times as “among the most important documentaries of the decade” Channel 4’s Things We Won’t Say About Race That […]
Do religious people volunteer more?
Among ethnic minorities in Britain, religious people are more likely to volunteer, but only for ethnic and religious organisations, explains Dr Ingrid Storm. Since the 1990s, the government has involved ‘faith groups’ as partners in local policy and service provision in order to promote civic participation and community cohesion. However, it is as yet unclear […]
Where are ethnic inequalities greatest?
How ethnic minorities fare compared to the White British varies according to where they live, writes Dr Nissa Finney. She argues that addressing ethnic inequalities is an important local concern. In Manchester, a quarter of ethnic minorities live in overcrowded housing compared to around one in ten of the White British population. The unemployment rate […]
Why has Britain’s civil rights movement been forgotten?
As the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta approaches, Dr Laurence Brown argues that the significant struggles faced by ethnic minorities to achieve modern-day freedoms are being overlooked. Next year will mark eight hundred years from the signing of Magna Carta. The extensive public history projects underway to commemorate what is seen […]
Why do ethnic inequalities continue to matter?
Have we moved into a ‘post-race’ policy environment, in which politicians claim ethnic inequalities no longer matter? They remain important and significant, counters Prof James Nazroo. When was the last time you heard an MP, let alone a minister, talk about ethnicity in terms of inequality? In mainstream policy discussion we appear to have moved […]
Politicians need to grasp that there are many ways of being British
There are many ways of being British. This is a reality that politicians and others need to understand, explains Dr Bridget Byrne. In response to the ‘Trojan horse’ controversy in Birmingham, David Cameron, Conservative Party leader has again stressed his belief in the need to emphasise ‘British values’. This is not a new approach. In […]
Ethnic inequalities persist in the labour market
Despite government programmes to address high levels of unemployment in ethnic minority groups, inequalities persist, explains Professor James Nazroo. The impact of the economic crisis on members of ethnic minority groups has been strangely overlooked. Discussions of falls in unemployment rates and how these relate to part time and insecure – zero hours – employment, […]
Wrong, simplistic, unimaginative; dismantling Demos’s take on ethnic voting
Upwardly mobile ethnic minority voters are more likely to turn Tory, claims new research by thinktank Demos. But Dr Maria Sobolewska questions the methodology of the study and the validity of the conclusions. Demos has published a report on whether the Conservatives could avoid Romney’s famous death by demographics, and attract enough ethnic minority votes […]
Is the picture of Pakistani self-employment really so rosy?
There is economic vibrancy in Asian-dominated areas of the UK, driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of the self-employed, according to some reports. But, says Ken Clark, analysis of official statistics reveals a rather less rosy picture. Asian-dominated areas of the UK are booming, according to The Economist – in stark contrast to “struggling white towns”. The credit for this boom […]