Residential segregation and the integration of immigrants: Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden

Three country studies on Great Britain (C. Peach), the Netherlands (S. Musterd/W. Ostendorf), and Sweden (R. Andersson) outline key features of ethnic residential segregation and discuss their relevance for the integration of migrants. For all three countries the degree of settlement concentration is considered moderate. Empirical results are presented on links between neighbourhood and, e. g., labour market integration and inter-group relations. In a concluding chapter, Karen Schönwälder offers an assessment of the available evidence on neighbourhood effects and its relevance for the German situation. While it seems too early to draw firm conclusions, current knowledge suggests that the importance of socio-spatial structures for the integration of people with a migration background should not be overestimated. The evidence does not support a choice of political intervention strategies that focus on countering ethnic residential segregation.