Expansion of Social Space of Muslim Inhabitants

Abstract

In this paper I analyze the social space of Muslim inhabitants in Amsterdam, paying particular attention to differences of residential area around the city center and its suburbs. This study is based on my fieldwork carried out from February to March 1997 in Amsterdam. The materials were collected through personal interviews.The result of the analysis showed that the residential pattern of Amsterdam experienced great change between 1990 and 1995. Since 1990, the Dutch have tended to concentrate in the northern and southern suburbs and inflow into the area. On the other hand, Moroccan and Turkish inhabitants have concentrated in eastern and western part around the city center. It is pointed out minorities concentrate in CBD and inner city, which often have low-wage jobs and low-rent housings. Lobar and housing market in Amsterdam also affected residential pattern. Ethnic clusters are located around the city center where the ratio of private let and deteriorated housing are relatively high. However, the concentrated area of ethnic minorities has gradually expanded into the suburbs in recent years.According to past studies, it is interpreted that the expansion of ethnic clusters comes from on upgrading of social and economic status. To consider whether or not the same factors also operate on or not in Amsterdam, it is necessary to look at the social space of Muslim inhabitants in two areas around the city center and the suburbs. From the responses to questions, Muslim inhabitants were classified into four types. For the sake of brevity, the members of cluster one can be labeled 'Inhabitants of the first generation live in around the city center'. Cluster two identifies 'Inhabitants of the first generation live in the suburbs'. In contrast, members falling into cluster three could be representing 'Inhabitants of the second generation live in the suburbs'. And, cluster four might be express 'Inhabitants of the second generation live in all areas of the city'.The result of the analysis clearly shows that the expansion of Muslim clusters does not originate from social and economic factors in the Dutch welfare state. More than half of the housing is managed by housing associations in Amsterdam. Because Amsterdam is situated on former marshland, building poses special problems. As Amsterdam developed concentrically, the suburban area has great number of social housing. But, most of the Muslim ingabitants have to lie in private lets around the city center. However, they have opportunities to move into social housing, due to decreas of the Dutch population from 1990 to 1995. For this reason, ethnic clusters have expanded into the suburbs in recent years. The differences between the environs of the city center and the suburbs are family constitution and years residing in Amsterdam. Muslim inhabitants live in suburban areas together with the first generation and the second generation. However, research reveals that social space in two areas consisted of similar social and economic conditions.