“Native Dutch people benefit more from restructuring neighborhoods”

Your research shows that immigrants have no preference for 'concentrated areas', where mostly foreigners live together. Despite this, they do end up in these neighborhoods. Is that a problem?

"Yes, I do think this is a problem. There are 3 general explanations for the existence of segregation:

1. First, differences in income and resources;
2. Second,  differences in preferences;
3. And  third, discrimination.

Research shows that the first two are not sufficiently explanatory. The question then is: what other factors are important in order to understand segregation? "

The neighborhood where you live can influence your chances on the labor market. The effects of living in a certain neighborhood are much less in the Netherlands than in countries like the United States, where for example people may be hired or not based on their postal code. How do you explain this difference?

"First of all, we have a more egalitarian society in the Netherlands. The socio-economic differences between people are much less pronounced. Secondly, our housing market is highly regulated. Thus, the relationship between one's income and the housing position is less strong. If you have a low income in America, you can only afford to live in certain neighborhoods. In the Netherlands, people with low income still have a lot of choice as to where and how they would like to live. The advantage is that segregation in the Netherlands is much less strong. "
"The ghettos in America with a mainly African-American population cannot compare to our multi-ethnic neighborhoods. The African-American population has a completely different story than immigrants in the Netherlands. "

How do changes on the housing market influence segregation?

"I'm afraid the rental market is increasingly being stripped and that this will lead to ‘residualisation’ (the process whereby the social rental market increasingly allows only the poorest people to rent houses). This means that there is a greater risk of segregation based on income and that often means an increase in ethnic segregation.”

What can cities do to prevent segregation?

"If you want to do something against segregation, then you should not create new neighborhoods. This was one of the research findings from the Spatial and Environmental Planning Bureau. Purposefully blending old city areas with the intent to create more diversity have been successful in restructuring processes, but this is completely destroyed by the construction of new neighborhoods where people with higher incomes, especially native Dutch people, move to as they are the ones who can afford it. Ideally seen these neighborhoods should not be built unilaterally. "
"With gentrification (revaluation of a neighborhood) or for example very old houses which are in need of restoration and  are sold or rented with that purpose, segregation may be prevented. But being paternalistic and saying you should live in such a neighborhood, because that it is good for you, or that is good for others, will not work. Either way it remains the question whether mixed neighborhoods actually lead to a mixed society living together respectfully and harmoniously. "

Can citizens take the initiative to prevent segregation?

"Maybe not in the neighborhoods, but certainly in schools. There are quite a few initiatives by parents to mix up neighborhood schools so there is less concentration of one specific ethnic group and more diversity. Housing is difficult to influence because you make your own choice where to live and do not know where others will choose to live. In open, public space this is different: if you find it important to mix, then there are many initiatives to meet each other. There is a great role for the residents in this whole process of restructuring neighborhoods. "

EUKN, Elizabeth Winkel