19 Mar 08

Most migrants feel there is no conflict in having a sense of belonging to both Britain and their country of origin

Nearly half of minority ethnic residents, including Muslims, said they had experienced race discrimination and 30 per cent of recent Muslim migrants had experienced religious discrimination. They felt that these experiences were a key barrier to a sense of belonging in Britain.

These findings by researchers at the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) at Oxford University are published in a report called ‘Immigration, faith and cohesion’, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The report looks at what factors contribute to, or undermine, community cohesion in three urban areas in England with large migrant and Muslim populations. It is based on 319 interviews, carried out in 2006 and 2007, with people who originated from 40 different countries, including the UK. Most migrants felt there was no conflict in having a sense of belonging to both Britain and their country of origin. Sixty per cent of long-term Muslim residents born outside the UK said the people most important to them were in Britain.

Co-author Hiranthi Jayaweera from COMPAS said: ‘Evidence suggests that it is discrimination and the perception of being unwelcome, rather than attachment to their country of origin, that reduces migrants’ sense of belonging in Britain.’

Ninety-nine per cent of recent Muslim migrants strongly emphasised democracy, justice and security as the top reasons for living in Britain. Researchers also found that Muslims and non-Muslims shared a common concern about the problems of crime, drugs and pollution in the areas where they lived.

A good introduction to life in Britain through established communities was found to be a key way in which Muslim migrants were helped to integrate with wider British society. In the areas studied, new migrants relied heavily on established Muslim communities for the support and advice they needed on first arriving in Britain. Recent migrants from non-Muslim backgrounds in these areas said they felt more isolated.

Co-author Tufyal Choudhury said: ‘The report shows the importance of family and friends in providing support for new migrants. Consideration should be given to how the role of established communities can be enhanced within a broader strategy towards the induction of new migrants into employment and community life.’

The findings also challenge perceptions of Muslim women as being isolated from wider society. The researchers looked at how different groups interact with each other and found that Muslims, including women with family responsibilities, interacted with people from other religious and ethnic backgrounds in different settings, and broadened their social networks over time in the UK. Both new migrants and established residents emphasised the important role played by schools, colleges and work places in bringing local people together.

At the last census (2001), Muslims constituted around three per cent of the UK population.