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The paper aims at introducing some critical views on 'multicultural quarters', reflecting on the cases of Spitalfields in London and Torpignattara in Rome. Urban practices and policies that led these places to be recognised as 'Banglatowns' are explored, disentangling two major narratives of multicultural quarters, respectively, commodification of diversity and everyday multiculturalism. Whether literature tends to establish an opposition between these interpretative frameworks, the paper argues that context-based research shows how both categories are interlaced. The coexisting aspects of commodification of ethnicity and encounter are explored, focusing on the human and spatial agents supporting the construction of the image of the (multi)ethnic quarters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Child pedestrian injuries in Greater London are studied. • A host of exposure measures, built environment and socio-economic factors are considered. • School enrolment was found to be a better proxy exposure measure compared to number of schools. • Social inequities are found to be strongly associated with child pedestrian safety. Introduction: Child pedestrian safety remains a challenge despite the remarkable progress that has been attained in recent years, particularly, in high income jurisdictions such as London. This study sought to identify and quantify the magnitude of the effects of various explanatory variables, from the domains of transport, built and natural environment, socio-demographic and economic factors, on ward level child pedestrian injury frequencies in Greater London. Method: We adopted a multilevel random parameters model to investigate the factors associated with child pedestrian injuries given the hierarchical nature of the data comprising of wards nested within boroughs. Results: We found that crime, the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) population, school enrollment, and the proportion of the population who walk five times a week had an increasing effect on the number of child pedestrian casualties. Conversely, the proportion of the population with a level 4 qualification and the number of cars per household had a decreasing effect. Conclusions: Our study identified high child pedestrian injury frequency wards and boroughs: Stratford and New Town had the highest expected child pedestrian injury frequencies followed by Selhurst, Westend, and Greenford Broadway. Some inner London boroughs are among the highest injury frequency areas; however, a higher number of high child pedestrian injury boroughs are in outer London. Practical Applications: The paper provides recommendations for policy makers for targeted child pedestrian safety improvement interventions and prioritization to optimize the utilization of often constrained resources. The study also highlights the importance of considering social inequities in policies that aim at improving child traffic safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on recent research on the construction of new religious buildings by diverse faith communities in the London Borough of Ealing in West London to compare the navigation of local planning processes in the realization of new permanent structures for worship. While existing research emphasizes barriers for minority faith communities, this paper suggests that faith communities are successful local actors able to navigate local planning governance particularly through accumulated expertise and social capital networks, although there are marked differences in capacity and experience between different faith groups. There is also evidence of the mobilization of narratives of "instutionalised multiculturalism" embedded in local policy documents in support for faith communities, but ongoing on-going austerity cuts since 2010 have reduced the capacity of the local state to support projects. Finally, the paper suggests that these planning processes indicate changing ideas of the nature of the suburbs and suburban multiculturalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Air pollution harms health across the life course. Children are at particular risk of adverse effects during development, which may impact on health in later life. Interventions that improve air quality are urgently needed both to improve public health now, and prevent longer-term increased vulnerability to chronic disease. Low Emission Zones are a public health policy intervention aimed at reducing traffic-derived contributions to urban air pollution, but evidence that they deliver health benefits is lacking. We describe a natural experiment study (CHILL: Children's Health in London and Luton) to evaluate the impacts of the introduction of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on children's health. Methods: CHILL is a prospective two-arm parallel longitudinal cohort study recruiting children at age 6–9 years from primary schools in Central London (the focus of the first phase of the ULEZ) and Luton (a comparator site), with the primary outcome being the impact of changes in annual air pollutant exposures (nitrogen oxides [NOx], nitrogen dioxide [NO2], particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5micrograms [PM2.5], and less than 10 micrograms [PM10]) across the two sites on lung function growth, measured as post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) over five years. Secondary outcomes include physical activity, cognitive development, mental health, quality of life, health inequalities, and a range of respiratory and health economic data. Discussion: CHILL's prospective parallel cohort design will enable robust conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of the ULEZ at improving air quality and delivering improvements in children's respiratory health. With increasing proportions of the world's population now living in large urban areas exceeding World Health Organisation air pollution limit guidelines, our study findings will have important implications for the design and implementation of Low Emission and Clean Air Zones in the UK, and worldwide. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04695093 (05/01/2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent geographical scholarship has drawn attention to the ways in which the practice of public health constructs particular bodies and populations as "risky." From a biopolitical perspective, this status of being "at risk" offers the basis for an emergent biosociality, groups brought together by a shared vulnerability to disease, which then forms the basis for both state‐led public health interventions and community‐driven advocacy and support. Critics, however, suggest a focus on biosociality can act to obscure other dimensions of individual and community identity, dimensions that can play a key role in determining both health status and the success of healthcare interventions. This paper draws together insights from geography, anthropology, and sociology with empirical evidence from focus groups collected as part of an evaluation of a breast cancer awareness DVD distributed in the London borough of Hackney. We explore the extent to which the DVD, by defining a specific group (black women aged 25–50) as being at increased risk of developing more severe forms of breast cancer at a younger age, led to the formation of a biosocial community. Themes emerging from the analysis of focus group transcripts present a complex picture. At times our participants clearly aligned themselves with this biosocial collective, drawing on a shared Black political identity, assumptions of a common African genetic heritage, experiences of diaspora, and perceived similarities in lifestyles and bodily norms. At other times, however, this shared sense of belonging fragmented in light of perceived differences in culture, lifestyle, and community which nuanced both participants' sense of being "at risk" and how they might (or might not) seek to manage that risk. Our findings suggest that biosociality is a fragile and heterogeneous accomplishment, with implications for the way we practise medical and social science research, design community‐targeted public health interventions and conceptualise risk. This paper draws together insights from geography, anthropology and sociology with empirical evidence from focus groups collected as part of an evaluation of a breast cancer awareness DVD distributed in the London borough of Hackney. We explore the extent to which the DVD, by defining a specific group (black women aged 25–50) as being at increased risk of developing more severe forms of breast cancer at a younger age, led to the formation of a biosocial community. Themes emerging from the analysis of focus group transcripts show how at times our participants clearly aligned themselves with this biosocial collective, but at other times this shared sense of belonging fragmented in light of perceived differences in culture, lifestyle, and community which nuanced both participants' sense of being "at risk" and how they might (or might not) seek to manage that risk. Our findings suggest that biosociality is a fragile and heterogeneous accomplishment, with implications for the way we practise medical and social science research, design community‐targeted public health interventions, and conceptualise risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the idea of "place‐based diversity" to examine the nature of undergraduate Geography students' attainment and progression with a specific focus on gender, ethnicity and socio‐economic status. In addressing the empirical neglect of progression when assessing inequalities in achievements among Geography students in general and the specific lack of research at the departmental level, the paper contributes to debates on challenging intersectional exclusion within the discipline at a university in London. While it shows that undergraduate Geography no longer privileges male, middle‐class students in terms of attainment, those from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds perform less well. While this is partly addressed by encouraging patterns of higher progression rates among BME students, much more needs to be done. Contributing to existing Bourdieusian analyses of student experiences as well as the role of the university in society, this requires exploration of students' identities and agency, especially their "dutiful aspirational capital," together with the "institutional habitus" of departments and universities and where they are situated geographically. While departmental support mechanisms have helped in facilitating progression for the disadvantaged, this must be combined with developing more positive diverse role models, curriculum change and targeted support practices that avoid the "black deficit model" which assumes that BME students are "lacking." This paper challenges assumptions about undergraduate geography students as white, male and middle‐class based on research within a department of Geography in the east of London in the United Kingdom (UK). In arguing that progression must be taken as seriously as attainment, it shows that while female undergraduates and those from less advantaged socio‐economic backgrounds are not necessarily hindered, ethnicity remains an issue. In explaining these patterns, the notion of "place‐based diversity" is useful in capturing the structures of institutions that are situating within specific localities and policy environments as well as the agency of departments to create conditions that are conducive to celebrating diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overall levels of vaccine uptake in England are high. • Children from London or of Black ethnicity show different vaccine uptake patterns in comparison to children from other regions or other ethnicities. • The later a vaccine was recommended within the vaccination schedule, the more likely it was not given in time. • Delay of previous vaccine doses was an indicator of delaying subsequential doses. Vaccine surveillance for children in England focuses on coverage at ages 1, 2, and 5 years. Previous studies exploring vaccine timeliness have used different arbitrary categories to define whether vaccines were received 'late' or 'on time'. This paper aims to provide more detailed and holistic information on timing and patterns of vaccine uptake across the childhood immunisation schedule in England. We included all children born in England between 2006 and 2014 and registered in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum, a primary care electronic health record. We described vaccine uptake for representative antigens (pertussis, pneumococcus, measles) by age in days and stratified by ethnicity, region and birth cohort. Alluvial diagrams were used to illustrate common journeys through the vaccination schedule, and we applied survival analysis using accelerated failure time models (AFT) to predict age of vaccine receipt based on timing of previous doses. 573,015 children were followed up until their fifth birthday, when they had 90.16 % coverage for two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and 88.78% coverage for four doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP) vaccine. Overall, the later the age at which a vaccine was due, the more delay in vaccination. Children of Black Ethnicity or from London showed deviating uptake patterns. If a child received their third DTP dose more than a year later than recommended, they would receive the next dose 2.7 times later than a child who was vaccinated on time. A smaller delay was found for children who did not receive first MMR dose on time. We showed that the risk of vaccination delay increased with the age of the child and significant delay of previous doses. Primary care data can help to promptly identify children at higher risk of delayed vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a project exploring the friendships of children and adults in ‘super-diverse’ (Vertovec, 2007) localities in London, England, examining whether and how friendships are made and maintained across ethnic and social class differences. The aim is to identify what friendships reveal about the nature and extent of ethnic and social divisions in contemporary multicultural society. Drawing on interviews with children and their parents, this paper analyses affective parental responses to their children’s friendships, identifying instances where parents seek to manage these friendships. We identify the importance of the ‘ease of similarity’ for many parents concerning their children’s friendships, and the relative lack of concrete practices amongst parents to support their children’s friendships across difference. However, we also note parental support for living in super-diverse localities and children attending schools therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the idea of ‘superdiversity’ at the city level through two churches with different approaches to architectural visibility: the hypervisible Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and the invisible Igbo Catholic Church, both in North London, guide our exploration of invisible Nigerian London. Although Nigerians have lived in London for over 200 years, they live beneath the radar of policy and public recognition rather than as a vital and visible element of superdiversity. This paper argues that we can trace the journeys composing Nigerian London in the deep textures of the city thus making it visible, but this involves re-mapping space and ethnicity. It argues that visibility is vital in generating more open forms of urban encounter and, ultimately, citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The importance of home in constructing notions of identity, self, and belonging is well recognized in the aging in place literature. However, much of the research has focused on mainstream population groups, rather than on the experiences of ethnic minority communities, whose lifecourse trajectories may reveal one of transience in relation to place, aging and home. Based on 48 semi-structured individual interviews and five community mapping workshops with 65 older Turkish adults living in north London, this paper aims to provide insight into how the home is negotiated and understood by older Turkish migrants. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three interrelated themes important to the narratives of older Turkish people: "Home as a reflection of identity and self", "Home as a social and cultural place" and "Transnationality, mobility and home". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two key forces are likely to impact on the retail profile of London's high streets. First is the increasing expansion of London's retail sector across both affiliated and independent sectors, paralleled with economic volatility associated in part with the global crisis in 2008. The second is the political shift, at both national and city scales, towards the recognition of small independent shops and local high streets, as signalled in The Mayor's Draft Replacement London Plan, 2010. This brings us to a third consideration: the growth of ethnic retail, evidenced particularly in London where national levels of immigration and ethnic diversity are at their highest. The 2010 High Street London report commissioned by the Mayor's Office emphasises 'the local' role of London's high streets for a 'local' populous, reflecting a larger national policy emphasis on Localism as outlined in The Localism Bill in 2010. This paper explores what forms of planning are best suited to recognise a rapidly evolving retail landscape together with the crucial differentiations inherent in the local landscape. The focus is explicitly contextual: it is London centric in its scope, and relies on detailed survey and ethnographic data of a south London high street located within an area with high Indices of Deprivation. The context sits in contrast to the notions of the village high street and the upmarket high street, which encapsulate cultural notations of vitality and viability which frame much of the literature and policy around the value of high streets. By analysing the adaptive practices of the ethnically diverse, independent retailers on the Walworth Road, socioeconomic measures of high street values are explored. Further, the paper conceptualises adaptation as the strategic adjustments made by independent proprietors in recognition of large-scale economic forces, national regulatory frameworks, and local cultural nuances. The paper reframes 'the local' as 'the particular' and emphasises the need for disaggregated, fine-grained research on retail practices in high streets which reflect crucial contextual differentiations. Finally it explores what a planning framework and stewardship mechanism for high streets in London's urban margins might comprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) estimates from arterial spin labelling (ASL) show unexplained variability in older populations. We studied the impact of variation of haematocrit (Hct) on CBF estimates in a tri-ethnic elderly population.Materials and Methods: Approval for the study was obtained from the Fulham Research Ethics Committee and participants gave written informed consent. Pseudo-continuous arterial spin labelling was performed on 493 subjects (age 55-90) from a tri-ethnic community-based cohort recruited in London. CBF was estimated using a simplified Buxton equation, with and without correction for Hct measured from blood samples. Differences in perfusion were compared, stratified by sex, ethnicity and diabetes. Results of Student's t tests were reported with effect size.Results: Hct adjustment decreased CBF estimates in all categories except white European men. The decrease for women was 2.7 (3.0, 2.4) mL/100 g/min) (mean (95% confidence interval (CI)), p < 0.001 d = 0.38. The effect size differed by ethnicity with estimated mean perfusion in South Asian and African Caribbean women found to be lower by 3.0 (3.6, 2.5) mL/100 g/min, p < 0.001 d = 0.56 and 3.1 (3.6, 2.5) mL/100 g/min), p < 0.001 d = 0.48, respectively. Estimates of perfusion in subjects with diabetes decreased by 1.8 (2.3, 1.4) mL/100 g/min, p < 0.001 d = 0.23) following Hct correction. Correction for individual Hct altered sample frequency distributions of CBF values, especially in women of non-European ethnicity.Conclusion: ASL-derived CBF values in women, non-European ethnicities and individuals with diabetes are overestimated if calculations are not appropriately adjusted for individual Hct.Key Points: • CBF quantification from ASL using a fixed Hct of 43.5%, as recommended in the ISMRM white paper, may lead to erroneous CBF estimations particularly in non-European and female subjects. • Individually measured Hct values improve the accuracy of CBF estimation and, if these are not available, an adjusted value according to gender, ethnicity or diabetes status should be considered. • Hct-corrected ASL could be potentially important for CBF threshold decision making in the fields of neurodegenerative disease and neuro-oncology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health and illness beliefs of Greek Cypriots living in London This paper describes some of the findings of a qualitative study into the health and illness beliefs of Greek Cypriots living in London. Data were collected through group and individual in-depth interviews and were analysed using the grounded theory approach of constant comparison and saturation. Two of the six themes which were identified are discussed in this paper. The findings provide the reader with important insights into Greek Cypriots' beliefs of health and illness. The paper argues that the understanding of such beliefs from a cultural perspective is vitally important for all those involved in the provision of health care to this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the social ties forged by Romanians in London with migrants of different origins in work and non-work contexts to offer a more nuanced view of ‘bridging’ social ties and related discussions of ‘everyday’ cosmopolitanism. Contrary to the overemphasis on ethnic ties seen as a form of bonding in migration research, the paper shows how Romanians bridge informally with many other migrants based on shared ‘non-native’ status. Alongside non-ethnically marked commonalities, ethnicity emerges as an important ingredient of cosmopolitan socialization, yet without necessarily signalling coexisting ethnic identities, as commonly assumed. Romanians' experiences further show that despite providing significant social and cultural capital, bridging ties with migrants, rather than natives, rarely accrue effective resources for social mobility. The findings suggest the need to disaggregate and qualify current understandings of ‘bridging’ social ties usually depicted in positive terms and uniformly as cross-ethnic relationships, or only linked with the ‘mainstream’ population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is concerned with the social and spatial processes adopted by workers who face problems at work. Using interview data with minority ethnic workers in three local communities in London, the paper explores the mechanism people use to seek help and advice and what resources are available from local community organisations. Key findings suggest that many workers, both unionised and non-unionised find themselves isolated and unable to access the support they need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how migrants negotiate and construct their identity in London. In particular it discusses how they position themselves in relation to other ethnic groups - English people and other migrant and ethnic minority groups within British society. The discussion draws upon qualitative research with recent Polish migrants in London. In addition to key informants from a range of community and voluntary groups, 3 focus groups and 30 individual interviews were carried out with migrants across various locations in the city. Participants were drawn from a range of occupations and included equal numbers of men and women. Rather than attempting to select a representative sample, the research sought to capture the range and diversity of Polish migrants. The paper examines how ethnic identity is mediated through language, gender, whiteness and European-ness. Using Goffman's concepts of 'normality' and 'stigma' the paper also discusses the ways in which participants engage with Polishness through multifaceted and complex interactions with or, indeed, avoidance of 'Poles abroad'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper briefly outlines the housing careers of Vietnamese households since their arrival in the UK in the late 1970s and draws on a series of focus groups to examine the role that ethnicity has played, and may continue to play, in their housing careers. It notes that the first arrivals lacked the infrastructure of an existing Vietnamese community in the UK and were further disadvantaged by the dispersal policy adopted by the voluntary agencies responsible for their resettlement. The research indicates that ethnicity has been a crucial influence on the housing careers of Vietnamese households, and in particular on the location of the communities. It is argued that it is essential that researchers pay attention to the role of ethnicity as a resource and a constraint within a housing career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper describes an evaluation carried out by South Bank University of the work of the Family Welfare Association’s (FWA’s) Family Support Services (FSSs) in Tower Hamlets, London. Tower Hamlets is a multi-racial area in east London that, according to the 1991 census, has high levels of poverty, overcrowding and unemployment. Increasing poverty and social exclusion, which further entrench inequalities in health, are reported by sources such as government, health and social services and research as requiring innovative local responses to meet pressing welfare needs. The evaluation reported here examined three projects: Family Support, Building Bridges and Quality Protects – these are referred to collectively as FSSs. The evaluation shows that FSSs are innovative services that demonstrate effective ways of working with vulnerable families affected by experiences of racism, bullying, mental health difficulties, domestic violence or child abuse. In common with other successful initiatives in the UK and abroad, FSSs are aimed to be non-stigmatising, non-intrusive and responsive to the ethnicity, views and specific needs of families. This paper focuses on the participatory work of FSSs with families to illustrate effective methods of quality support, detail outcomes, and draw lessons for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a case study of activists in London's Arab communities to address the marginalisation of certain groups in academic analyses of 'race' and ethnicity. Theorisation of 'race' has become increasingly sophisticated, emphasising the fluidity of racial identities and the contextual specificity of racial ideologies and racialised practices. Yet very few empirical analyses of 'race' stray from the rigid categories of 'race' and ethnicity found in censuses and other official sources. The implication is that only certain groups 'count' as 'racial' and should be analysed in terms of 'race'. Using evidence gathered from intensive interviews with Arab community activists, this paper attempts to challenge rigid conceptions of 'race' and, in so doing, to move discussions of 'racial politics' beyond standard black-white dichotomies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of ethnic residential segregation that address the issue of spatial scale make it implicit - if not explicit - that segregation is greater at smaller than larger scales. Such studies, however, invariably measure segregation separately at those scales, and take no account of the fact that measures at the smaller scale necessarily incorporate that at any larger scales. The present paper rectifies that situation by, for the first time, modelling ethnic segregation in London at the 2001 and 2011 censuses within a Bayesian statistical framework at three scales, which allows for the statistical significance of any changes to be formally assessed - something not possible before. It finds that for many of the groups studied segregation was as great, if not greater, at the macro-scale as at the micro-scale, with both measures larger than at the meso-scale, with significant reductions in segregation across the decade, especially at the micro-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how the globalized nature of London's service sector redefines spatial relationships for recent migrants working in the health and hospitality industries. Findings from the qualitative data demonstrate that recent temporary migrants to the UK employ broader strategies to secure employment than accounted for by current theories. The migrants in our case studies overwhelmingly utilized global and local recruitment and employment agencies, as well as sought employment in industries already established as ‘ethnic economies’. We suggest that this might be attributed to a lack of interaction with established co-ethnic immigrant communities; temporary migration trajectories; and living arrangements with co-migrants. We conclude by emphasizing the need to broaden our understanding of ethnic economies and social networks in light of these changing spatial relationships that have emerged through the globalization of the service sector in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Arts attendance in England has, in recent decades, been the subject of several surveys focusing on how individual factors such as socio-economic status, education, ethnicity and age influence attendance. These surveys have been used to create small area estimates of arts attendance. But other studies of the use of public facilities suggest that access to a venue would be highly predictive of attendance. This paper compares administrative data on opera attendance in London with small area estimates of opera audiences, and finds a systematic geographic bias in the errors of the predictions, related to a lack of information about the location of venues. It demonstrates that a model using 2001 Census data and a simple accessibility index better predicts attendance, and more accurately locates audiences. It concludes that, by focusing on individual-level explanations in order to understand cultural engagement, funders have failed to examine the effect of their own investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions about belonging, national identity and social cohesion are part of a broader debate that emerges from a number of concerns, mainly to do with identity and specifically with ethnic or religious identities versus the perceived homogeneous national identity. One major concern in immigration countries is that many immigrants and ethnic minorities are not integrating into the destination or receiving societies. This perceived lack of integration creates fears about whether newcomers are developing a shared sense of belonging to the national identity. Without this commitment it is feared that social cohesion and indeed the very basis of liberal democracy is under threat. In this paper, I question whether this fear is valid by exploring the relationship between the individual and society through the notion of ‘sense of belonging’ – to a community, to a polity and to the nation. What does this mean in terms of national identity and social cohesion? In other words, do we have to have a shared sense of belonging to the nation to be responsible citizens? First, I will briefly explore some of the theoretical debates about belonging to the nation. Second, by analysing immigrant narratives on citizenship, belonging and community in London, I examine the multifaceted modes of belonging and whether migrants and ethnic minorities, who do not have a sense of belonging to the nation or who have a sense of belonging to more than one symbolic or material locality, can still have a sense of belonging and commitment to the common good which in turn contributes to societal cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines issues of embodied performativity and transmission of dance practices amongst Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus in the suburbs of London, focusing on how the experience of migration has shaped the making of cultural and ethnic identities. Using data gathered from recent ethnographic work in British Tamil temples and in the Tamil community, it addresses the complex discourse between the religious and political sense of selfhood articulated in these Sri Lankan Tamil groups, particularly in relation to dance and ritual performance, and seeks to answer questions regarding the place of dance and movement in defining such identity. In addition, I note the expansion in transmission and performance of the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam in British temple locations and the presence of trance dancing at Hindu festivals, and question how investigating migration as embodied practice might lead to greater understanding of such highly politicised contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a process of negotiating identity among Polish migrants will be discussed in relation to their food habits: consumption, preparation and celebration. Through the ethnographic examination of food rituals the construction of meaning of home as both space and nationality will be observed and the attitude to the host culture will be revealed in the quotidian activities. The qualitative research based on interviews and visual ethnography has shown that there are three dominant ways of exchange with the local culture ranging from the least present to the ostentatiously conspicuous, named here as: orthodox, porous, and alternate. Each of them, however, is characterised by a perplexing degree of fluidity and sometimes contradiction which opposes the objectification of the models of culture, as had been already noticed by Bhabha (2007[1994]) in relation to diasporic cultures and their tactics of adaptation. Home among Polish immigrants to the UK is a changing concept, open to negotiation, depending on their current personal situation, profession, gender, expectations, ambitions and even peer pressure. Yet (re)creating home requires a certain dose of familiarity conceived from the meaning of Polishness which needs to be materialised from past memories on a daily basis. This research shows that such process oscillates between acceptance and rejection recognisable in the acts of mundane rituals, gaining their significance from the emotional engagement of the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Adicciones is the property of Sociedad Cientifica Espanola de Estudios sobre el Alcohol and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sociolinguistic studies of 'minority languages' and bilingualism have increasingly moved away from a singular emphasis on issues of ethnicity that poses direct links between the use of a language and an ethnic or cultural identity towards exploring the construction of identities that are not firmly located in category-bound descriptions. In this paper, we draw on these latest insights to account for processes of identity construction in a bilingual (in Greek Cypriot and English) youth organization group based in North London. Our main data consist of the audio-recorded interactional data from a socialization outing after one of the group's meeting but we also bring in insights from the group's ethnographic study and a larger study of the North London Cypriot community that involved interviews and questionnaires. In the close analysis of our main data, we note a conventional association between the 'London Greek Cypriot' (henceforth LGC) variety that is switched to from English as the main interactional frame and a set of genres (in the sense of recurrent evolving responses to social practices) that are produced and taken up as humorous discourse: These include narrative jokes, ritual insults, hypothetical scenarios, and metalinguistic instances of mock Cypriot. We will suggest that the use of LGC demonstrates a relationship of ambivalence, a "partly ours partly theirs" status, with the participants carving out a different, third space for themselves that transcends macro-social categories (e.g. the Cypriots, the Greek-Cypriot community). At the same time, we will show how the discursive process of choosing language from a bi- or multi- lingual repertoire does not only create identities in the sense of socially and culturally derived positions but also identities (sic (dis)-identifications) in the sense of desiring and fantasizing personas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. (1) To explore sexual behaviour and relationships amongst Black and minority ethnic (BME) teenagers in East London. (2) To examine how these relationships are shaped by culture, gender, peer norms and religion. (3) To describe the implications for sexual health policy and practice in urban, multicultural areas. Design. This report draws primarily on the qualitative arm of a mixed methods study which collected data from 126 young people, aged 15-18, largely through focus groups in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets. Results. Previous research has reported culture influencing the patterning of risk/protection amongst BME groups. Our data suggest that this is mediated by gender, religion and youth. Religion reportedly influenced young women's sexual behaviour in multiple ways. Young people described gendered norms in meeting and flirting with partners, and the role of mobile phones and peer pressure. Conclusion. Our paper suggests culture, gender, religion and youth influence BME teenagers in aspects of sexual relationships, and that these social markers may have different contextual meanings for individuals. The multiplicity of factors affecting attitudes/behaviour requires a range of contraceptive, counselling, screening and sex education services available for all teenagers, although delivery patterns may differ in response to differing needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Langage & Societe is the property of Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

While much research has described experiences at the end of life, no studies have explored the black Caribbean perspective. This paper compares the final year of life of first generation black Caribbeans and white patients with advanced disease in an inner London health authority, focusing on their satisfaction with service provision in both primary care and acute settings using face-to face interviews with carers of deceased patients. Of the 106 black Caribbean patients and 110 white deceased patients identified as dying during the study period 50 interviews per ethnic group were conducted with family members or close friends, a response rate of 47% and 45%. Even though examples of excellent and good care were cited, a larger proportion of negative satisfaction ratings of health care was recorded among respondents representing black Caribbean patients. This was true for all health care settings, particularly primary care, but less so for specialist palliative care nurses. However, few black Caribbean patients accessed specialist palliative care nurses or hospices. Qualitative data provided a deeper insight into the black Caribbean experience care at the end of life. We recommend that where examples of best practice in palliative care and culturally sensitive provision are evident they be extended to more health care professionals through education and training. Access to specialist palliative care services needs to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital competencies and confidence are thought to be critical to success in higher education. However, despite learning frequently taking place online through the use of virtual learning environment and tools such as lecture capture, and evidence to counter the idea of digital nativity, these critical skills are often not explicitly taught at university. In the present study, we describe the development and evaluation of our Essential Digital Skills programme, which is a university-wide digital training programme designed and implemented at a large London university, aimed at new students but open to all students at the University. Using Kirkpatrick's evaluation model, we demonstrate that the programme provided effective training in digital skills for all students but that individual differences exist in the training experience, notably around ethnicity and student status, with Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students and international students feeling that the training made a greater contribution to their skill levels and resulted in greater behaviour change and impact, as well as intention to undertake further training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sport legacy among ethnic minorities has been neglected despite the positive outcomes of active lifestyle and social inclusion. The current research, applying time series analysis, evaluates evidence of sport legacy among four English ethnic minorities regarding the hosting of Olympic Games (London 2012). A short-term association was found between hosting the Games and sport participation rates among ethnic groups, leading more to increasing frequency of engagement for existing participants than to attracting new participants. The results indicate differences among the ethnic groups and gender, showing that females from Asian ethnicities having the highest engagement. Practical implications for the governance of events in the future relate to improving the festival effect of the Games, to encourage social inclusion for ethnic minorities. Our results might encourage policy makers to maintain a sustained effort in the post-event period to capitalise on sport legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how white British residents of a superdiverse London housing estate learn about—and subsequently deploy—the intra‐ethnic stereotypes used by their British Pakistani and British Bangladeshi neighbours/flatmates. Building on recent attempts to bring together conviviality and boundary making, along with insights into intra‐ethnic othering, we show how, for white British residents, these stereotypes offered the chance to add detail and authenticity to judgements about the "unrespectable" behaviour of British Asian residents and/or visitors. Ultimately, however, white British residents' inappropriate and/or imprecise deployment of these stereotypes in relation to British Bangladeshis and British Pakistanis led to the misidentification of low‐status people and the unfair extension of discrimination faced by low‐status individuals and families. Furthermore, the combination of clumsy application and the positioning of "respectable" British Bangladeshis and British Pakistanis as purveyors of "insider knowledge" about intra‐ethnic stereotypes led to the reinscribing of boundaries between racial groups. We conclude that studying the cross‐racial use of intra‐ethnic stereotypes allows for a subtler appreciation of the complex dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in superdiverse areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Social mix and social mixing are topics of increasing significance to both the policy and academic communities in the UK, and have particular salience in urban multi-ethnic and socially diverse contexts. Enshrined in the comprehensive school ideal, and implicated in the now legal duty to promote 'community cohesion,' (urban) schools play a pivotal role in agendas for social mixing but little is empirically known about how this is lived and experienced by the young people in those schools. This paper begins to develop a theoretical understanding of social mixing drawing on qualitative data on the patterns, discourses, and experiences of associations and friendships collected in a London comprehensive school. We find that while the social mix of the school is celebrated, in official discourse as congenial and 'convivial', by staff and students alike, the extent of actual mixing - of associations and friendships forming between those of different social and ethnic backgrounds - is both constrained and complex. We point to the social and cultural factors which produce this sense of conviviality, and the opportunities for cultural learning it supports. At the same time, we argue that there are limitations. Schools are sites of differentiation, and friendships as exemplars of social mixing, both (re)produce and are (re)produced by existing social hierarchies and inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper studies differential healthcare utilisation by ethnic group. Administrative records of nearly 100,000 users of an Inner London accident and emergency (A&E) facility were analysed using an innovative names-based ethnicity classification. Adult repeated ‘light’ usage (i.e. with no hospitalisation or follow-up) did not differ according to ethnic group. Users from ethnic minorities had lower GP registration rates than the majority reference group. However, lack of GP registration was not associated with repeated light use of A&E, overall. Therefore, these results challenge common perceptions of differential A&E access rates by ethnicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates informal learning, literacy and language development occurring in the home through exchanges between children of three to six years of age and their grandparents in Sylheti/Bengali-speaking families of Bangladeshi origin and monolingual English-speaking families of mixed ethnicity living in east London. A survey identifying the range of learning activities taking place in and around the home is reported and extracts from case study material from nine families obtained through interviews, video-recording and scrapbooks are explored in terms of the patterns of interaction, the kinds of knowledge exchanged and the discursive opportunities opened up in this process. The findings are interpreted in relation to sociocultural theory where the understandings and skills held by both adults and children can be regarded as contributing to learning as a joint enterprise. The relevance of the exchanges is considered in relation to the shifts between the discursive spaces in which language learning occurs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents findings from a study examining the relationship between migration, foodways, ethnic identities and gender among Ghanaians in London. Exposed to British institutions and customs already in Ghana, the identities and foodways of Ghanaians have been formed through the (post)colonial experience. This study was grounded in qualitative and theoretical research on meals. The micro-level analysis of current and past food habits within households was set in a wider context by exploring the development of food culture in the community as a whole. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Ghanaian households, functions, restaurants and food stores. The impact of (post)colonialism on the foodways and identities of Ghanaians in London has been multifaceted. The preference for the traditional Sunday roast and for turkey and trimmings at Christmas, and the delay in the establishment of Ghanaian food-related businesses, are just a few signs of Ghanaians' hybrid identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimsTo document the prevalence of ocular genetic disorders in a general paediatric ophthalmology clinic in a deprived, ethnically diverse inner city area of London, and to assess the consanguineous relationships and ethnicity among families with these conditions.MethodsA prospective audit documented all ocular genetic conditions (excluding strabismus and amblyopia) presenting for 16 consecutive weeks to the paediatric ophthalmology clinic. Information regarding ethnicity and consanguinity were sought. The disorders were divided according to the mode of inheritance if known.ResultsThirteen per cent of patients (45/342) had an ocular genetic disorder or were being examined for one. Of them, 22% (10/45) had a history of consanguinity with an inheritance pattern of 30% autosomal recessive (3/10), 20% autosomal dominant, 50% X-linked/unknown/isolated cases. In the remaining non-consanguineous families (35/45), 22% were autosomal recessive, 17% autosomal dominant, and 60% X-linked/unknown/isolated cases. The vast majority of cases (9/10) with a history of consanguineous marriage had South Asian ancestry. Variable ethnic backgrounds were documented for patients with genetic disease and no consanguinity.ConclusionOcular genetic disorders are common in secondary care. Less than a third of patients with such disorders had a family history of consanguinity. The proportion of patients with proven autosomal recessive disease was similar irrespective of consanguinity within family. The proportion of children of South Asian ancestry was high in this clinic population.Eye (2009) 23, 1111–1114; doi:10.1038/eye.2008.212; published online 11 July 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how the replication of familial, communal patterns from the home country is shaping public space. Combining the synergetic aspects of subjective experience with the objective measurements of the space, we study Whitechapel Market in the East End of London. We shed new light on the term public sphere, revealing two socio-spatial mechanisms: the first is an adaptation of the spatial structure—a way of the local community to create separation between females and males in the heterogeneous western public space. The second is the "invisible hands" of the females: the unobservable force that contributes to the community's wealth and cohesion. Our findings show the capacity of a given urban form for adaptation—it creates a new public sphere, partly democratized, but still segregated. A sphere, that from one hand provides traditional gendered roles, and from another a fertile environment for social and economic prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: No known UK empirical research has investigated prospective associations between ambient air pollutants and conduct problems in adolescence. Ethnic minority children are disproportionately exposed to structural factors that could moderate any observed relationships. This prospective study examined whether exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations is associated with conduct problems in adolescence, and whether racism or ethnicity moderate such associations. Methods: Longitudinal associations between annual mean estimated PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations at the residential address and trajectories of conduct problems, and the potential influence of racism and ethnicity were examined school-based sample of 4775 participants (2002–2003 to 2005–2006) in London, using growth curve models. Results: Overall, in the fully adjusted model, exposure to lower concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2 was associated with a decrease in conduct problems during adolescence, while exposure to higher concentrations was associated with a flattened trajectory of conduct symptoms. Racism amplified the effect of PM2.5 (β = 0.05 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.10, p < 0.01)) on adolescent trajectories of conduct problems over time. At higher concentrations of PM2.5, there was a divergence of trajectories of adolescent conduct problems between ethnic minority groups, with White British and Black Caribbean adolescents experiencing an increase in conduct problems over time. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the intersections between air pollution, ethnicity, and racism are important influences on the development of conduct problems in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare sex-specific rates of hospital admission and repeat admission following self-harm between ethnic groups in London and test whether differences persist after adjustment for socio-economic deprivation. Methods: A population-based cohort of all individuals aged over 11 admitted to a general hospital for physical health treatment following self-harm between 2008 and 2018, using administrative Hospital Episode Statistics for all people living in Greater London. Results: There were 59,510 individuals admitted to the hospital following self-harm in the 10 year study period, ethnicity data were available for 94% of individuals. The highest rates of self-harm admission and readmission were found in the White Irish group. Rates of admission and readmission were lower in Black and Asian people compared to White people for both sexes at all ages and in all more specific Black and Asian ethnic groups compared to White British. These differences increased with adjustment for socio-economic deprivation. People of Mixed ethnicity had higher rates of readmission. Rates were highest in the 25–49 age group for Black and Mixed ethnicity men, but in under-25 s for all other groups. There were substantial differences in rates within the broader ethnic categories, especially for the Black and White groups. Conclusion: In contrast to earlier UK studies, self-harm rates were not higher in Black or South Asian women, with lower self-harm admission rates seen in almost all ethnic minority groups. Differences in rates by ethnicity were not explained by socio-economic deprivation. Aggregating ethnicity into broad categories masks important differences in self-harm rates between groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commentary on: Andrews SE, Roberts G, set P, Warburton F, Gilbert FJ. In London, for example, obesity is more prevalent among those from Pakistani, Bangladeshi, "Black" Caribbean, "Black" African, Other "Black" groups, and "Other White" groups (not British or Irish). The authors conclude that "differences in the timing of dental development due to geographical, dietary, lifestyle, or socioeconomic differences, while not specifically addressed, are minimised" (1, p11), and why these differences are minimized is never explained. Third molar development in a London population of white British and black British or other black ethnicity. [Extracted from the article]

Lower ethnic minority achievement (relative to national average achievement levels) remains a concern in many countries, and affirmation interventions offer a promising approach to help reduce the relative achievement gap. We compared the effects of a conventional self‐affirmation intervention with a dual‐identity affirmation on test performance in a super‐diverse school that primarily served students from ethnic and cultural minority backgrounds (56% Black), in London, UK (N = 179, Mage = 12.29). A randomized design consisted of a new dual‐identity condition, a traditional self‐affirmation condition, and two control conditions—a "one‐group" condition and a non‐affirmation control condition. Teachers implemented the interventions in class, and test performance was the outcome measure. As expected, Black pupils outperformed non‐Black pupils when they undertook a dual‐identity affirmation exercise, while non‐Black pupils outperformed Black pupils in the traditional self‐affirmation condition. Stereotype threat partially mediated this effect: dual‐identity was less threatening for Black pupils than for non‐Black pupils, increasing the test performance of Black pupils. We propose dual‐identity affirmation as a promising affirmation intervention to reduce threat and improve the academic performance of lower achieving ethnic minorities in ethnically diverse settings. Implications for teachers as key players in affirmation interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening reduces mortality but variation exists in uptake, with poorer uptake in ethnic minority groups. The aim of this work was to evaluate the relationship between ethnicity and uptake of CRC screening in West London. Method: Results of CRC screening from the Central London, West London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow and Ealing Clinical commissioning group collaborative between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively analysed. These five clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are located in West London. Compliance with screening according to ethnic group was evaluated compared with White British as the control. Results: A total of 155 038 individuals were screened. White British individuals had the highest compliance (52.6%). A maximum difference in compliance of 8.2% was seen between CCGs. The odds of being less likely to participate were significant (p < 0.05) in all ethnic minorities except for Asian Chinese on univariate and multivariate analysis (adjusted OR 1.091, p = 0.88). Conclusion: This is the largest retrospective study focusing on the role of ethnicity in the uptake of CRC screening in England. Poor uptake of screening in all ethnic minorities in West London, with the exception of Asian Chinese individuals in particular, is a novel finding. A mandate to routinely collect ethnicity data, the use of a single more diverse census and further intervention are needed to understand this disparity and reduce health inequity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is inconsistent evidence on the influence of ethnicity on duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). We investigated ethnic differences in DUP in a large epidemiological dataset of first episode psychosis patients in an inner city area of south London, UK. Methods: We analysed data on 558 first episode psychosis patients at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, between 2010 and 2012. We performed multivariable logistic regression to estimate the odds of a short DUP (≤ 6 months) by ethnic group, controlling for confounders. Results: There was no evidence that ethnicity is associated with duration of untreated psychosis. However, we found evidence that a short DUP was strongly associated with age, living circumstances, and pathways to care variables (involuntary admission, out of office hour contact, accident and emergency referral, criminal justice agency referral and family involvement in help-seeking). Conversely, a long DUP was associated with report of social isolation, living alone, being single and General Practitioner referral. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that indicators of social isolation were associated with long DUP. Our data also show that pathways into care characteristics play significant role in DUP. Thus, the challenge of tackling the issue of timely access to EI under the new Access and Waiting Time standard for psychosis requires a multilevel approach, including joint working with communities, public awareness of psychosis, less restrictive referral pathways and adequate resourcing of early intervention for psychosis services. These will go a long way in addressing patients' needs rather than be determined by service structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between educational attainment and social disadvantage for different ethnic groups, presented by Brewer & Haslum (1986), are reconsidered Their assertion that indicators of social disadvantage are not associated with attainment for black children is shown to be based on a number of unsound statistical and methodological procedures Data from a study of younger children in Inner London are presented which do show an association which is the same for both black and white children But more data are needed for a more complete understanding of these associations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Twenty-six per cent of patients in two Inner London districts were admitted to acute wards under the provisions of the Mental Health Act. Compared with those not under compulsion, they were young, male, more likely to be of black Caribbean origin, and to have a diagnosis of schizophrenia of short duration. The hypothesis is tested that ethnicity determines rates of compulsory admission independently of the other factors.Method: Sampling and data collection methods were described in the first paper. Statistical analyses included a log-linear analysis of six key variables: compulsory admission, challenging behaviour, diagnosis, ethnicity, age, and sex.Results: There were no substantial differences between districts. Analysis provided two similar statistical models. In both, admission under the Act was strongly associated with challenging behaviour and diagnosis of schizophrenia. In the model of best fit there was no significant interaction term for ethnicity and compulsion. In the second model there was a weak association.Conclusions: Ethnicity did not appear to be of outstanding importance in decisions to use the Mental Health Act. There was a strong link between ethnicity and diagnosis, independent of compulsion. Differences between the districts made no major contribution to the rates of compulsory admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on two ethnographic studies of people of Latin American descent in global cities, this article explores how language, gender, and ethnicity shape field relations, community membership, and data collection. It examines some of the implications of being positioned intersectionally as an outsider or insider of the community, and being sexualised by a male gatekeeper. It suggests that gender roles are a powerful aspect of conducting ethnographic research among Latinos, while pointing to the challenge of dealing with, and potentially contributing to, essentialising discourses in the field. It argues that the notion of 'being Latino' is imagined and constructed interactionally and contextually, in reaction to social pressures, as well as local and historical narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Compared with the majority population, those from minority ethnic groups in the UK are more likely to be admitted compulsorily during a first episode of psychosis (FEP). We investigated whether these disparities in pathways in to care continue.Methods: We analysed data from two first episode psychosis studies, conducted in the same geographical area in south London 15 years apart: the Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychosis (AESOP) and the Clinical Record Interactive Search-First Episode Psychosis (CRIS-FEP) studies. The inclusion/exclusion criteria for case ascertainment for first episode psychosis were identical across the two studies. We performed multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds of compulsory admission by ethnic group, controlling for confounders.Participants: Two hundred sixty-six patients with first episode psychosis, aged 18-64 years, who presented to mental health services in south London in 1997-1999 and 446 with FEP who presented in 2010-2012.Results: When the two samples  were compared, ethnic differences in compulsory admission appear to have remained the same for black African patients, i.e. three times higher than white British in both samples: AESOP (adj. OR = 3.96; 95% CI = 1.80-8.71) vs. CRIS-FEP (adj. OR = 3.12; 95% CI = 1.52-6.35). Black Caribbean patients were three times more likely to be compulsorily admitted in AESOP (adj. OR = 3.20; 95% CI = 1.56-6.54). This was lower in the CRIS-FEP sample (adj. OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 0.71-3.98) and did not meet conventional levels for statistical significance.Conclusion: Ethnicity is strongly associated with compulsory admissions at first presentation for psychosis with evidence of heterogeneity across groups, which deserves further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]