En nederlandsk studie viser at jo større etnisk mangfold det blir i nabolaget, jo lavere blir lokalbefolkningens følelse av trygghet og velbefinnende. De føler seg mindre hjemme og blir mer bekymret for fremtidsutviklingen.

På bakgrunn av Robert Putnam’s velkjente rapport fra 2007 har forskerne Lonneke van Oirschot, Jeroen Slot og Emmie van Oirschot undersøkt hvorvidt etnisk mangfold har hatt en negativ effekt på Amsterdams sosiale sammenhengskraft. Undersøkelsen baserer seg på eksisterende data fra rapporten «Living in Amsterdam» (2007), og bekrefter langt på vei Putnams funn om at etnisk mangfold leder til mindre tillit mellom innbyggerne:

Using data from the ‘Living in Amsterdam’ monitor (Wonen in Amsterdam, 2007), multilevel analysis shows that neighbourhood trust is lower in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the percentage of first generation non-Western immigrants and second generation non-Western immigrants is also negatively related to neighbourhood trust. The percentage of second generation non-Western immigrants affects neighbourhood trust more strongly than the presence of first generation non-Western immigrants

I tillegg viser undersøkelsen at effekten på tilliten beboerne i mellom varierer i forhold til forskjellige ikke-vestlige grupper. Tilliten er høyere i nabolag med en stor prosent innvandrere fra de nederlandske Antillene og lavere i nabolag med en høyere prosentandel fra Marokko.

The research shows that a higher number of non-Western immigrants leads to a reduced sense of security and well-being among residents. A larger number of Western immigrants leads to increased trust in the quality of life and future of the neighbourhood.

And there are marked differences in the way various groups of non-Western immigrants are being perceived. The researchers found no significant link between the number of Turks or Surinamese in a district and residents’ confidence, whereas such a link did exist where Moroccans and all other non-Western immigrants were concerned.

According to the researchers “Stereotyping and stigmatization can create a strongly negative image of certain groups of immigrants.» Scientists have been studying the relation between ethnic diversity and social cohesion in neighbourhoods for quite some time. One of the most famous studies into the subject was written by US political scientist Robert Putnam «E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century.

Expatica: Diversity leads to a drop in trust

Via Snaphanen