Spatialities of Ethnocultural Relations in Multicultural East London: Discourses of Interaction and Social Mix

Abstract

Healey has described planning as managing a shared existence in space. In the context of multicultural cities, this shared lived experience brings to the forefront the interdependence of the factors shaping urban life and intergroup relations. In the past decade, throughout Europe, urban policies for deprived areas became increasingly concerned with issues of segregation, community cohesion and social mix alongside addressing deprivation. Concerns about urban tensions further accentuated such tendencies. Implicitly or explicitly, such policies rely strongly on the influence of contact and the interaction of intergroup relations. However, the way that the associated theories have been incorporated into discussions and policies tends to focus on a fleeting interaction approach, with questionable outcomes. Through the lens of two London boroughs, this paper explores the spatial dimensions of 'living together' and the ways that social mix, interaction and multicultural spaces affect intergroup relations.