Abstract
This study examines the relationship between residential segregation and social trust of immigrants and natives in the Netherlands. Building on previous studies that have found evidence for a negative segregation-trust link, we present a nuanced narrative by (i) distinguishing between an ethnic minority and majority perspective, (ii) elaborating theoretical foundations on the moderating role of individual exposure in the form of ethnic minority concentration in the neighborhood, and (iii) taking income segregation into account. In addition to the refined theoretical framework, our study employs a rigorous empirical approach. Using two waves (2009 and 2013) of the Netherlands Longitudinal Lifecourse Study—a geocoded panel study with an oversampling of Moroccan and Turkish immigrants—we are able to study the influence of (changes in) municipality-level segregation patterns for both natives and immigrants, and consider the roles of both neighborhood ethnic minority concentration, as well as income-based segregation. Results from four-level multilevel models show that ethnic segregation is negatively related to the social trust of immigrants. At the same time, this negative relationship is particularly strong in neighborhoods with a low level of minority population concentration, which provides support for the so-called integration paradox where negative intergroup interactions reduce social trust. For respondents of Dutch origin, we find no evidence that their social trust is sensitive to ethnic segregation or that this relationship is conditional on minority concentration at the neighborhood level.
Highlights
Residential segregation along ethnic lines is a major hurdle to the social integration of immigrants and ethnic minorities
Model 1 shows a negative effect of ethnic segregation at the municipality level on social trust, supporting the reasoning of assimilationist arguments, which highlight the importance of interethnic contact in fostering social trust (H1)
Including income and income segregation (Model 3) does not lead to a reduction but instead leads to an increase in the coefficient of segregation, which points to a suppression effect
Summary
Residential segregation along ethnic lines is a major hurdle to the social integration of immigrants and ethnic minorities. Previous research has shown that, for example, residential segregation is associated with lower levels of generalized social trust (Rothwell, 2012), and that ethnic diversity has a negative impact on social trust in highly segregated residential areas (Uslaner, 2012). A reason for these findings is that living in segregated residential areas prevents residents from experiencing (positive) intergroup contact, which in turn leads to reservations about the other group, perceptions of intergroup threat, and general mistrust (Putnam, 2007; Van der Meer and Tolsma, 2014). This study examines the role of residential segregation for social trust of immigrants and natives in the Netherlands. While we generally expect that residential segregation is related to reduced trust, we build on previous research in the following three respects.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
