Baba cultural economic and social inequality

What is cultural, economic and social inequality in cities?

All cities are culturally, economically and socially unequal.

Culture can be considered as a way of life that includes:

· Language

· Customs - e.g. exchange of business cards in Japan

· Beliefs - e.g. religion

· Particular groups of people - e.g. youth culture

Multiculturalism is a divisive term and has many meanings. Essentially it considers the way in which a society integrates cultural diversity, both at the national and at the community level. Multiculturalism is the notion that society as a whole, benefits from increased diversity through a happy coexistence of different cultures.

What are the economic issues of diversity?

Economic - unequal distribution of money.

· Economic inequalities are higher in LDEs due to lack of funding to support the poorest, whereas HDEs have government welfare that provide basic services and income for struggling citizens

· Health issues are magnified in cities with higher levels of income inequality - malnourishment

· Economic migrants meet labour shortages, but can cause resentment and racial intolerance - this was one of the main reasons for Brexit

What are the social issues of diversity?

Social - different social groups are spread across an urban landscape and categorised into groups.

· In the UK 2/3 of all households are owner-occupiers, however, lending to some types of occupations is less risky than others, and higher earners are able to spend more on mobility - social and work

· People are sorted in urban areas through the price of land

· Segregation can be active, by choice or necessity, and can be positive or negative

· When segregation is very pronounced, ghettos can develop

· People congregate to those they think are the same status - E.g. High personal wealth = large, smart homes in desirable locations = segregation and disparity

· Poorest tend to live in cramped or substandard housing, usually in the worst residential areas

· Many have to rent or live in social housing and occupy high density areas, which causes long term issues

What are the cultural issues of diversity?

Cultural - There are a wide mix of people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

· Ethnic groups tend to segregate themselves, which can bring mistrust and anger

· Within those groups, further sorting occurs based on their own social class, occupation, religion, ethnicity etc.

Positive Negative

Share languages Defence

Food Security

Security Insecurity

Cultural Violence

Place of worship Crime

Schools Prejudice

Increase tolerance Low income

Attract tourists Discrimination

Enrich a city's character Cheap housing

Social segregation can lead to educational inequality, where a school can be dominated by one ethnic group, impacting on the educational attainment of each pupil. Access to jobs, healthcare, housing and education are limited in some cities, particularly in LDEs, where there is a lack of central funding for services. Gender inequality - some women require more flexible working as they are the primary carers for young and old family dependents, others are excluded from the workplace or limited in access to education due to cultural traditions.

What are the social strategies to reduce inequality?

Cultural diversity is not a new concept and the UK has been considered a culturally diverse country for a long time, however, there is notion that diversity is something to be fixed rather than embraced.

"In comparison to many other countries, the general policy discourse around cultural diversity in the UK treats it as a problem to be solved, rather than an opportunity to be grasped." Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2006

Some of the strategies to encourage social and cultural integration have included:

· New developments to include social and accessible housing, thereby, reducing division between rich and poor, however, this can also lead to social polarisation and resentment

· Community support to help ease racial tensions through group projects

· Arts and creative industries provides a shared space for exchanged and integration of cultures

· Sports are shared spaces where equality between participants is shown - Olympic games or football

· Government encouragement to participate in political matters, e.g. sending letters and text messages encouraging them to vote, ensuring that minority groups have opportunities to influence decision-making

· Governmental laws, e.g. to prevent companies discriminating against employees on the basis of race and gender

· Self-help schemes whereby governments (LDEs) help people by providing basic water and electricity supplies, the family then builds their own house from materials provided

· Businesses promoting and supporting mentoring schemes to help recent immigrants and their families to adjust to life in the UK - access to English language classes to help employees connect and integrate with co-workers but also customers

What are the economic strategies to reduce inequality?

Strategies to reduce poverty and economic inequalities in urban areas include:

· Improving transport systems making access to jobs easier for the urban poor

· Building of affordable housing to help poorer people the ability to buy property

· Minimum wages can help to balance wage inequalities between the poor and rich, providing it is a living wage

· Government subsidies for new companies, increasing local employment opportunities

· Some LDE cities have introduced upgrading programmes for informal settlements

· Private and government investments in infrastructure - road-building, sanitation, drainage and water supply - helps to increase the quality of the informal housing

Examiner Tip: Remember that whilst there are issues associated with increased cultural diversity and many areas will suffer deprivation as a result, not all poverty is due to 'minority groups', but the actual built environment and lack of accessibility to basic services.