Places of Exclusion and Inclusion: Asylum-Seeker and Refugee Experiences of Neighbourhoods in the UK

Abstract

This paper explores asylum-seekers’ and refugees’ experiences of place, social exclusion and social networks, based on a qualitative sociological study. It examines interviewees’ constructions of neighbourhoods as excluding or including places and compares and contrasts parents’ and children's accounts. Interviewees perceived social inclusion as a number of place-specific factors, including security, access to inclusive local resources and services, and migrants’ ability to form supportive social networks. Particular emphasis was placed on social networks with people of the same ethnic or religious identity and other black and minority groups living locally, rather than social bridges with white and majority-ethnic communities. I suggest that parents’ constructions of childhood reflect neighbourhood places; children are seen as vulnerable and in need of protection in ‘excluding’ neighbourhoods, and less vulnerable and relatively independent in ‘including’ ones. Children valued their independence and mobility within including neighbourhoods, and appeared to develop a sense of attachment to them, suggesting that they may integrate more quickly and fully within British society than their parents. The paper concludes that it is important to understand asylum-seekers’ and refugees’ experiences of social exclusion and inclusion in relation to their experiences of place.

Keywords:

• Asylum-Seekers
• Refugees
• Place
• Social Exclusion
• Social Networks
• Children

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the families and project workers who took part in this research and to members of the National Evaluation of the Children's Fund team.

Notes

1. The term ‘children’ is used is this paper to denote children and young people aged under 18 years.

2. The National Evaluation of the Children's Fund is a three-year research project commissioned by the UK Department of Education and Skills and based at the University of Birmingham and the Institute of Education in London.

3. The local-authority areas, the names of the voluntary organisations and the specific countries of origin of the asylum-seeking families participating in this research are not indicated in this paper in order to preserve their anonymity.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Neil Spicer

Neil Spicer is Lecturer in Health Policy and Global Health Initiatives at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine