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From: chris hamnett
Date: 07 Apr 2003
Time: 19:41:15 +0200
Remote Name: 137.73.24.123
Dear Michail, thanks for your thoughtful question. sorry not to answer earlier but I have been away. To respond to your first point, many of the non-earners are economically inactive and out of the labour market. The growth in this category is important, but given the structure of the housing market, the great majority of such households will be unable to compete in the private market and tend to be concentrated in social housing. Economically inactive households comprise about 60% of all households in Social housing in inner London. By pushing up prices in the private market, gentrification is likely to increase this concentration. Your second point is also important. You are right that the use of the term 'ethnic minorities' can be prejudicial if we are not careful. The way in which I have used the term reflects the use in the census and in official government reports in Britain. In the 1991 and 2001 censuses, respondents were asked to identify their ethnic group from a pre defined list of categories. These include White British, White Irish, Other White, Black Caribbean, black African, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Other Asian, other etc. The term 'ethnic minority' is generally applied to all the non-white groups. The figure of 34% refers to all the non-white ethnic minorities in inner London. The results of the 2001 census show that in the last 20 years, London has changed from being a predominantly white, mono-ethnic city to a multi-ethnic city. The term ethnic minority therefore applies to all those who list themselves in the census as being in one or other of the non-white groups. This includes rich and poor. You are, however, correct that (for example) the large population of white Americans and white Europeans in London would be classified as not being ethnic minorities. Unlike some other European countries which only collect data on 'foreigners' ie those who are not citizens of the country, the UK census collects data on self described ethnic origin. Thus while ethnic minority business people are categorised as ethnic minorities, they may be very rich and successful. The term is not a synonym for poor, though it is a synonym for 'non-white'. There are of course, many ethnic minorities in London (for example, the large Greek and Turkish Cypriot community) who will classify themselves as white, and are therefore not counted as ethnic minorities! To this extent, the term 'ethnic minority' is essentially a synonym for 'non-white' which raises other definitional and political issues about its validity. My view on London's future is complex and depends on what happens to the economy and to the fortunes of different groups. I think that london has become steadily more middle class over the last 40 years, but that the remnants of the traditional working class (or often the non-working class) have become increasingly concentrated in what remains of the social rented sector. All these issues are set out in my forthcoming book: 'Unequal City: london in the global area' to be published by Routledge in June or July this year. Best wishes. chris hamnett