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10 Cross-Community Integration Issues in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets faces significant integration issues amid rapid population growth, with a demographic shift from a majority of White British residents to a more diverse community, including a notable Bengali population. Key challenges include hard-to-reach groups such as Somali newcomers and Bengali women facing low labor participation, alongside increasing school segregation. Social inequality and fears related to crime further complicate the integration process. Despite funding cuts, a vibrant voluntary sector and potential partnerships can facilitate better social cohesion and community support.

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10 Cross-Community Integration Issues in Tower Hamlets

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  1. 10 Cross-Community Integration Issues in Tower Hamlets Daniel Nilsson DeHanas University of Kent

  2. 1 Population Change • Fastest growing local authority in the country: 196,100 in 2001, to 254,100 in 2011 (+24.6%) • Bengalis: consistently 1/3 • White British: declining • ‘Other white’: +18,800 • Diversifying growth (Indians, Chinese, Somalis…) Churn: 29% are moving each year

  3. 2 Hard to Reach Groups • Somalis and other new arrivals • Can be poorly understood, or only reached via community leaders • Bengali women • Lowest labour force participation • White East Enders • Concerns must be taken seriously • ‘Invisible’ residents

  4. 3 School Segregation • Most Catholic schools per head of any London borough • White English self-segregation (Dench et al. 2006) • 74% of TH pupils have a first language other than English (highest in UK) • Yet Bengali girls are the highest performing in schools, and TH GCSEs are above national avg.

  5. 4 Parks and Public Spaces • Highly built up area with fewer open spaces • King Edward Memorial Park under threat • Public spaces: • Idea Stores • Bromley by Bow Ctr, St Paul’s Way Ctr… • Mosques, DepARTure…  We need not just ‘social goods’ but ‘public goods’ (Barry Quirk, Lewisham CEO)

  6. 5 Social Inequality • 1 in 5 households earn less that £15K, yet… • Average salary of those working in TH is £58K • Inequalities (housing, income, health, etc.) correlate with poor social outcomes • Social equality leads to “more self-confidence to belong within a diverse patchwork of communities (cohesion), which then leads to gradual integration” (Sircar & Saraswati 2012)

  7. 6 ‘Extremism’ • News of Muslim ‘extremism,’ but few arrests • The real extremes: • Anjem Choudary • EDL, Christian Patrols • Media effects: • Muslims sense ‘secondhand Islamophobia’ • On issues of immigration and race, ‘you are what you read’ (Ipsos MORI 2005)

  8. 7 Fear, Crime, and ASB • Cross-community integration is built on trust, and undermined by: • ‘Postcode wars’ • Anti-social behaviour, drugs, crime • Fear, lack of safety • Responses: police; TH community champions • How can local civic pride be built?

  9. 8 Social Networks • RSA - social networks in New Cross (2010): • Those who value neighbourliness have larger social networks • ‘familiar strangers’ like postman and lollypop lady • Isolated people connect in places like Sainsbury’s • Tower Hamlets cross-community links: • Near Neighbours • Community organising (TELCO) • Other ideas?

  10. 9 Funding Cuts • Cuts to central funds to the local authority and third sector • Still a vibrant voluntary sector in TH • What models of innovative partnerships with Canary Wharf and the City?

  11. 10 Gentrification • Big redevelopment: Shoreditch, Whitechapel • New affluent ‘wave’ of immigrants can be among the least locally connected

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