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The importance of people and place AQMeN’s research findings demonstrate the value of conducting analysis that recognises the interplay between people and place in shaping social problems and inequalities. A good example of this is the existence and impact of ‘social frontiers’. Social frontiers occur when there is a sharp contrast between neighbouring areas in the social, ethnic or religious composition of residents. These abrupt transitions can be visualised as ’cliff edges’ in the social geography of residential location. These cliff edges contrast with the more gradual blending of social groups across residential neighbourhoods. When adjacent neighbourhoods display these abrupt transitions it implies that no- one wants to live at the frontier between groups. Social frontiers may therefore indicate significant underlying tension between communities. In principle, these underlying tensions increase the risk of anti-social behaviour and violent crime. Social frontiers also imply a shortage of ‘bridge- builders’ – ie, households willing to live on the other side of the frontier, providing vital links between otherwise isolated social networks. These bridge builders help defuse misunderstandings, and can provide vital links between otherwise disconnected communities. Without them, tensions can escalate and communities drift apart. The AQMeN team developed a method for
detecting these social frontiers and tested whether there was evidence of a link with crime. They found that neighbourhoods joined by social frontiers in
The number of crimes recorded by Scottish police fell by an incredible 60% between 1991 and 2016/17.
Sheffield did indeed have significantly higher rates of crime, including violent crime, burglary and vehicle crime. The team are currently exploring whether this link between social frontiers and crime is replicated in other cities across Europe. If the relationship holds true it potentially has significant implications for tackling crime because it suggests that some inequalities in crime can only be resolved by tackling issues of social cohesion. What’s next for understanding inequalities in Scotland? The AQMeN researchers are continuing to explore this interplay between crime, people and place in a new ESRC-funded project called ‘Understanding Inequalities’. This project looks at the causes and consequences of multiple inequalities in Scotland, with a particular focus on housing, changing ethnic mix, educational attainment and life outcomes, spatial analysis of neighbourhoods, crime and victimisation, youth crime and community resilience in the face of inequalities. Understanding Inequalities brings together a team of researchers from across the UK, Europe and the US for this innovative and ambitious programme of research which aims to provide robust evidence to help inform and develop new policy solutions to tackle multiple forms of inequality. n
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The Applied Quantitative Methods Network (AQMeN) was a research centre funded by ESRC 2013-2017.
To find out more visit:
www.research.aqmen.ac.uk Twitter: @U_Inequalities
AUTUMN 2018 SOCIETY NOW 33
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