170 likes | 291 Views
Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS). Dr Andri Soteri-Proctor. Theory and Method Stream Lead & Dr Jenny Phillimore, Director of IRiS. Localism, Grass Roots & Superdiversity: Implications for the Voluntary and Community Sector. Localism Superdiversity Grassroots groups IRiS.
E N D
Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS) Dr Andri Soteri-Proctor. Theory and Method Stream Lead & Dr Jenny Phillimore, Director of IRiS
Localism, Grass Roots & Superdiversity: Implications for the Voluntary and Community Sector • Localism • Superdiversity • Grassroots groups • IRiS
Localism • Devolution with shift of power from central government to: • local government • Communities • Neighbourhoods • Individuals • From traditional institutional settings and sectors to those that transcend boundaries • Pushing power onwards and outwards to people
Localism • Increasing politicisation of communities • Empower to shape the (local) world around them • Increasing creativity and innovation in public servicers • Obtaining assets and delivery services to communities • Opportunities and challenges in ‘hyper-local’ era in a wider context of austerity
Superdiversity • “Diversification of diversity” (Vertovec 2007) • Speed – 9% to 13% born overseas • Scale – census – 3.5m rise in population 56% are migrants • Spread i.e. Boston highest increase in AoW (11.4%) • Complexity – gender, status, age, reason for migration, class, faith....... • Fragmentation – from many migrants from a few countries to a few from many • Super-mobility
Top ten countries for non-UK born residents in England and Wales, 2001 and 2011
Birmingham – archetypal SD city • On course to become one of Britain’s first majority-minority cities • Move from homogenous groups to superdiversity • GP registration data shows 41,000 new arrivals from overseas July 2007 – June 2010 • 187 different countries, 25% new/old Commonwealth • Poland, China, Romania, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, Iran and Iraq now in top 20 • 92 countries of origin with 20 or less arrivals • Spread around Birmingham
Local grassroots groups • TSRC study using ‘street-level’ mapping methodologies to identify ‘unregistered grassroots groups’ in Birmingham and Manchester • A lot of activity: • 58 groups in 11 streets • Old and new • Locally embedded, reflecting local communities • but not confined to area
Local grassroots groups • TSRC study using ‘street-level’ mapping methodologies to identify ‘unregistered grassroots groups’ in Birmingham and Manchester • A lot of activity: • 58 groups in 11 streets • Old and new • Locally embedded, reflecting local communities • but not confined to area
Local grassroots groups • Wide variety, grouped in six: • Many of these = mix: migrant, ethnic and refugee • Self-support eg, Death Committee, Village saving fund, friendship building, isolation • Concentrated in shared spaces offered by VCSOs • Drawing on ‘Community-building bricoleurs’ • Dennis Minnis OBE, Piers Road Resource Centre • Cross-fertilisation • Drawing on and generating resources beyond immediate communities
Superdiverse Local grassroots groups • Localism, traditionally understood at spatial local level • ‘superdiverse’ grassroots connected • Virtual • Transnational • In addition, in their localities = not an island, they draw on and generate resources (VCSOs, Faith groups)
Superdiverse Local grassroots groups • They may be an untapped energy • Creativity and innovation • But not well understood, capacity and function • Potentially fragile, vulnerable & new • May not be in a position to take on services • If so, who’s going to do this…. • Role of VCS and shared space = Sum is greater than all parts • ?
IRiS • UK’s first Institute devoted to researching SD • Birmingham as inspiration and laboratory • Critical mass of expertise • Platform for collaboration and interdisciplinarity • Build capacity of early career researchers as diversity experts • Introduce new methodologies and approaches • Focus on opportunities as well as challenges • Partnership with communities, institutions, and agencies • Inform policy and practice
IRiS structure – the workstreams • Language and superdiversity • Policy, practice and foresight • Health and well-being • Religion and culture • Theory and method • Practitioner-researcher programme
Practitioner Researcher Programme • Focus on Birmingham • Aimed at communities and institutions with interest in superdiversity • Collaborative development of research and projects • Training and mentoring • New research community • Support development of policy and practice in each organisation • Build a holistic and contemporary picture of Birmingham
Superdiversity and BTR • Role of civil society in SD areas under-researched • What does CS activity look like in SD areas? • What is role of CSOs in SD areas? • Does CS activity differ when population base is new/ complex? • How can activity be supported and networks nurtured? • Where does faith fit in to picture?