Who lives in a house like this

Recent years have seen, across the Global North, a resurgence of concerns about national identity and rights to belong.

In this talk, Nissa suggests that a preoccupation with ‘illegal’ immigration in the UK (and elsewhere) distracts us from attending to inequalities, which are a significant matter for social justice.

In support of this position she evidences, through a focus on housing experiences, the stark and persistent disadvantage faced by those who migrated to the UK since the post-war period, and their descendants. Using data from the Evidence for Equality National Survey, the England and Wales Censuses and work with communities in Manchester, Glasgow and Dundee, Nissa exposes how minoritised ethnic groups remain disproportionately subject to overcrowding, poor quality housing and neighbourhood deprivation.

The evidence shows that part of what drives these inequalities is racism. Rather than placing blame for contemporary social challenges on supposedly deviant populations, Nissa argues that we should instead ask why we allow our society to continue to be characterised by racial inequalities. She concludes the talk with suggestions for responses to the continued marginalisation – in material outcomes and political narratives - of immigrant-origin populations: the pursuit of more inclusive data and evidence, and the recognition of the power of communities to build solidarity.

This talk marks the first of the Community Seminar Series talks hosted by the Sociology subject group within the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading.

The talks are open to the public, staff and students, and they offer a chance to learn more about and to discuss issues of contemporary significance.