Immigrants In England Research Articles

Cultural Alienation and Identity Crises in Anita Desai's "Bye-bye Black Bird"

The quest for identity and alienation are the central concerns of Anita Desai's works. She has tendency to look into every aspect of a person's life. In her book Bye Bye Blackbird, Anita Desai explores the lives of Indian immigrants in England before to 1964, the year in which England fundamentally altered its immigration laws. Particularly Indians flying to England are the Blackbirds. The world of three people who are limited by their identities is explored in Bye Bye Blackbird, along with how they must discover who they really are. Three characters -- Adit, Sarah, and Dev takes Centre stage in the story. Adit and Sarah have a greater attraction to India following their terrible events in England, and the narrative exposes their true crises as they struggle to create their own lives in a foreign place. Dev, who had first expressed some sort of hatred towards England, has since come to regard it as his home. This paper critically examines the loss of identity and cultural alienation with reference to the Novel “Bye- Bye Black Bird".

Do Attitudes Towards Immigrants Matter? The Subjective Wellbeing of Immigrants in England and Wales and Their Exposure to Non-migrants

The wellbeing of immigrants is affected by those around them and the context in which they live. Yet we still know relatively little about the impact that attitudes towards immigrants (ATI) have on immigrants’ life satisfaction, nor do we know the routes by which it manifests. By matching individual data from the UK Understanding Society study to area-level data on ATI for England and Wales from the 2018 European Values Study, I examine whether subnational ATI are associated with immigrants’ life satisfaction. If so, I aim to determine the geographical level at which it is prominent and identify the channels through which this association operates. By exploiting the different geographical scales at which ATI are aggregated, I show within-country variation in ATI. Controlling for contextual- and individual-level characteristics, I find that immigrants’ wellbeing is sensitive to exposure to the negative ATI of non-migrants at the regional level but not at the municipal level. Theoretically identified channels (local social cohesion and ethnic composition) are not drivers of this association, but it is moderated by (interethnic) friendships. Further, I show that ATI are a measure of environment rather than a function of intergroup contact or exposure and that the entire composition of the ATI in an area is more important than the most negative attitudes. I discuss the implications of these findings.

Racial Discrimination in the Short Story Entitled “The Beautiful Thing” by Kit De Waal: A Critical Race Study

This study aims to identify the racism issue and character discrimination portrayed in a short story entitled "The Beautiful Thing" by Kit De Waal. The short story was chosen as the primary data source since it illustrated fairly how the racism issue occurred with black immigrants in England. The data was obtained using the documentation method and a note-taking technique. The note-taking technique used to find a result in the form of sentences and phrases quotations from the short story. Furthermore, the data were analyzed by referring to six basic tenets of critical race theory proposed by Delgado and Stefancic (2001). This study was merely focused on linking the storyline which presents a racism issue with six basic tenets of critical race theory. The analysis showed that the short story presented a comprehensive illustration of racism that occurred specifically to black people in America. The racism encountered including verbal abuse and racial discrimination.

Features of Irish Migration to England in Late 14th — First Half of 15th Century

The author of this article examines the process of Irish migration to England in the late 14th to early 15th centuries. Based on an analysis of tax documents, the author identifies entry points, main directions, and centers of migration. The state of Irish colonies in English counties is also explored. The relevance of the study is due to the lack of a comprehensive description of foreign populations in late medieval England and the need to identify the role of the Irish in English society. Statistical and prosopographic analysis of sources allowed for the identification of reasons for the arrival of Irish immigrants in England, as well as the reconstruction of a collective portrait of members of the diaspora from 1394 to 1440. Analysis of license lists showed that internal colonization boundaries included the eastern Midlands and western counties located near entry ports. The author demonstrates that directions of Irish migration were formed based on demand for labor, as well as longstanding connections and the existence of Irish communities in English counties. The author concludes that the preservation of restrictive legislation in local governance and education, as well as attempts to mass deport Irish immigrants back to their homeland, indicate the formation of stable prejudices and intolerance among English subjects towards Irish subjects of the king.

Strategies for improving access to primary care services for homeless immigrants in England: a Delphi study.

The aim of the study was to identify the most prioritized strategies in improving access to primary care services (PCS) for homeless immigrants. The issue of improving access to PCS for homeless immigrants is a complex and multifaceted one, and yet there is limited research on the strategies aimed at improving these services. Hence, the need for more studies that directly engage homeless immigrants and service providers in understanding their barriers to accessing PCS and their preferences for improving access to these services. The study used a two round Delphi method to elicit the views of stakeholders. The Delphi process utilized a web-based questionnaire. The stakeholders included healthcare providers and voluntary sector providers. The first round had a total of 58 items belonging to 14 categories. The second round comprised a total of 25 items belonging to 12 categories which were preselected based on participants' ranking of their importance in the first round. Participants were required to rank the relative importance of all the items on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using the STATA-15 software package. A total of 12 stakeholders participated in both rounds of the Delphi survey. The top three strategies encompassed fighting against discrimination and prejudice, improving and promoting mental health services, and empowering homeless immigrants. These evidence-based strategies hold the potential to support the implementation of healthcare interventions aimed at improving access to PCS and healthcare outcomes for homeless immigrants. However, it is crucial to conduct further research that includes homeless immigrants in the Delphi study to gain insights into the strategies that are most important to them in enhancing access to PCS, as they are the primary target users. Such research will contribute to the development of comprehensive and effective interventions tailored to the specific needs of homeless.

Poor health, low mortality? Paradox found among immigrants in England and Wales

AbstractThe 'healthy immigrant effect' and 'migrant mortality advantage' describe the better health and lower mortality of international immigrants as compared with the native‐born populations of high‐income countries. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that it is much more common to observe low mortality among immigrants than it is good health, pointing to the existence of a potential paradox that mirrors the well‐known gender paradox in health and mortality. To investigate this, we used the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study, a large‐scale representative 1% sample of the England and Wales resident population comprising linked individual‐level health, mortality, and socio‐demographic data. We compared health and mortality within and across major immigrant groups over 20 years using logistic regression for health and discrete‐time survival analysis for mortality, both before and after adjusting for socio‐demographic factors. Of the eight origin subgroups studied, we found persistent evidence of a health‐mortality paradox within three: men and women from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the Caribbean. We discuss potential explanations and implications of this paradox and suggest that decision makers need to react to help these subgroups preserve their health in order to delay the onset of limiting illnesses and emergence of this paradox.

Marx, the Irish Immigrant-Workers, and the English Labour Movement

Abstract Karl Marx had to deal with a situation that bears an uncanny resemblance to the current predicament of trade unions regarding immigrant workers. The First International faced the threat of an internal division along ethnic and national lines around the Irish question, and more specifically around the role played by Irish immigrants in England. Firstly, I will argue that Marx’s late work on Ireland, and especially his change of opinion on its tactical importance, cannot be isolated from his vigorous manoeuvring within the International to prevent an internal rift over the question of immigrant workers. Secondly, I will contend that Marx’s theoretical contribution on the Irish question fails to consider that class politics are not only international in nature, but also transnational. Consequently, Marx overlooks the tactical importance of immigrant workers who could play a pivotal role in challenging exploitative and oppressive ties on the international scene.

Speak better, do better? Education and health of migrants in the UK

Does proficiency in host-country language affect immigrant social outcomes? This paper aims to address this question by estimating the causal effects of English language skills on education, health and fertility outcomes of immigrants in England and Wales. We construct an instrument for language skills using age at arrival in the United Kingdom, exploiting the phenomenon that young children learn languages more easily than older children. Using a unique individual-level dataset that links the 2011 Census data to life event records, we find that better English language skills significantly improve educational attainment and adult health, and affect fertility behaviour, but do not affect child health. Supplementary analysis suggests that a higher educational attainment as a result of better English language skills is a possibly important channel though which English proficiency affects immigrant health.

Does political discourse matter? Comparing party positions and public attitudes on immigration in England

The 2015 UK General Election campaign was mostly dominated by the issues of immigration, public debt, and income inequality. While most political parties adopted austerity-led programmes in order to reduce the level of public deficit, their stances on immigration vary significantly despite the two main parties converging on a welfare chauvinist frame. This article compares party positions to policy recommendations formulated by participants in a democratic forum as part of the ‘Welfare States Futures: Our Children’s Europe’ project in order to determine whether recent party pledges on immigration are being used by citizens in a large group discussion over the future of welfare policy in the United Kingdom. The analysis shows that while participants are committed to tougher policies in order to reduce existing levels of net migration, most of the policy priorities formulated do not match those of the two mainstream parties (i.e. the Conservative Party and the Labour Party) but rather those of the UK Independence Party (UKIP). It also demonstrates that participants’ individual political preferences do not seem to match their own positions on immigration and that there is little difference between left-leaning and right-leaning voters.

Deprivation, Segregation, and Socioeconomic Class of UK Immigrants: Does English Proficiency Matter?

This paper studies the causal effect of English proficiency on residential location outcomes and the socioeconomic class of immigrants in England and Wales, exploiting a natural experiment. Based on the phenomenon that young children learn a new language more easily than older children, we construct an instrument for English proficiency using age at arrival in the United Kingdom. Taking advantage of a unique dataset, we measure the extent of residential segregation along different dimensions, and find that poor English skills lead immigrants to live in areas with a high concentration of people who speak their same native language, but not necessarily in areas with a high concentration of people of their same ethnicity or country of birth. This finding could suggest that, for immigrants with poor English proficiency, what matters for their residential location decision is language spoken by residents, as opposed to ethnicity or country of birth. We also find that language skills have an impact on the occupation-based socioeconomic class of immigrants: Poor English skills reduce the likelihood of being in the occupation-based class 'higher managerial and professional' and increase that of being in the class 'self-employment'.

Book review: Welcoming the Stranger: Irish Migrant Welfare in Britain Since 1957 and Arrangements of the Integration of Irish Immigrants in England and Wales

Book review: Welcoming the Stranger: Irish Migrant Welfare in Britain Since 1957 and Arrangements of the Integration of Irish Immigrants in England and Wales

Adult mortality among the descendants of immigrants in England and Wales: does a migrant mortality advantage persist beyond the first generation?

ABSTRACTLittle is known about mortality among descendants of immigrants in western host countries because many descendants have not yet reached the ages of high mortality. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the migrant mortality advantage recently observed among immigrants in England and Wales persists, converges to levels of the White England and Wales-born population or reverses among their descendants. Survival analysis is used to study mortality among over 500,000 individuals in a large, longitudinal dataset (Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study). A recent update to this data provides a longer time series with an older sample of descendants to study. The analysis finds that, as a combined group, the descendants of immigrants have higher mortality than immigrants and White England and Wales-born. After adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics, mortality among descendants attenuates to the mortality level among the White England and Wales-born but remains high relative to immigrants. Analysis by ethnic minority group suggests there are important differences in mortality among descendants, particularly in the persistent high mortality among the descendants of Black Caribbeans. However, the age structure among descendants is still young and the estimates for ethnic minority sub-groups may not be robust. We await the further ageing of descendants to confirm or challenge these interesting sub-group findings by ethnicity.

A Leap of Faith? Trust in the Police Among Immigrants in England and Wales

It is often assumed that immigrants in countries such as the United Kingdom will report lower levels of trust in the police. Immigrant communities are thought ‘difficult to police’, and minority groups frequently experience problematic relationships with police. Yet, there has been little empirical investigation of this issue in the United Kingdom. In this paper, data from the Crime Survey of England and Wales are used to explore the relationship between immigration and trust in the police. Results suggest that trust is higher among immigrants than among the UK-born population, although there is important variation by time since arrival and experience of policing. Trust in the police is also higher in neighbourhoods that have more immigrants. The paper concludes with some reflection on the nature of trust in the police.

Language acquisition of recently arrived immigrants in England, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands

This study examines processes of language acquisition among new immigrants from Poland and Turkey in different European destinations focusing on the first few months after arrival. Starting from a human capital framework, a variety of pre- and post-migration conditions of language learning are addressed, including economic and non-economic incentives, the amount of exposure to the destination language as well as learning efficiency. The empirical analyses are based on SCIP data, a two-wave panel on new immigrants in Europe. The longitudinal setup allows following the development of language skills over time, taking into account initial skill levels shortly after arrival as well as language acquisition thereafter. The analyses reveal that immigrants from both groups in all destination countries improve their language skills over time. There is also clear evidence that the conditions associated with efficiency, exposure, and incentives matter for language learning. Especially pre-migration exposure in school or other structured learning environments and post-migration exposure in terms of destination language use in various contexts are crucial to acquiring language proficiency. The empirical results apply to Poles and Turks in the different destinations likewise indicating that the processes fostering language acquisition follow a general logic.

Mortality among immigrants in England and Wales by major causes of death, 1971–2012: A longitudinal analysis of register-based data

Recent research has found a migrant mortality advantage among immigrants relative to the UK-born population living in England and Wales. However, while all-cause mortality is useful to show differences in mortality between immigrants and the host population, it can mask variation in mortality patterns from specific causes of death. This study analyses differences in the causes of death among immigrants living in England and Wales. We extend previous research by applying competing-risks survival analysis to study a large-scale longitudinal dataset from 1971 to 2012 to directly compare causes of death. We confirm low all-cause mortality among nearly all immigrants, except immigrants from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (who have high mortality). In most cases, low all-cause mortality among immigrants is driven by lower mortality from chronic diseases (in nearly all cases by lower cancer mortality and in some cases by lower mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD)). This low all-cause mortality often coexists with low respiratory disease mortality and among non-western immigrants, coexists with high mortality from infectious diseases; however, these two causes of death contribute little to mortality among immigrants. For men, CVD is the leading cause of death (particularly among South Asians). For women, cancer is the leading cause of death (except among South Asians, for whom CVD is also the leading cause). Differences in CVD mortality over time remain constant between immigrants relative to UK-born, but immigrant cancer patterns shows signs of some convergence to the cancer mortality among the UK-born (though cancer mortality is still low among immigrants by age 80). The study provides the most up-to-date, reliable UK-based analysis of immigrant mortality.

Cultural dislocation in Monica Ali’s Brick Lane: Freedom or anomie?

Underlying Monica Ali’s endorsement of liberalism in her novel Brick Lane is a critique of the culturally relativistic views promoted by advocates of postcolonialism and multiculturalism in the West. Stressing the universality of the desire for freedom and autonomy, Ali’s liberal point of view seeks to shed light on the predicament of less powerful members of non-Western cultures, such as women, who are oppressed by the customs and traditions of their cultures. By employing a liberal perspective, however, Ali not only oversimplifies the cultural concerns of the Bangladeshi immigrants in England but also reproduces a problematic and stereotypical picture of Bangladesh. Thus, she vindicates postcolonial arguments regarding the inadequacies of liberal perspectives in understanding non-Western societies and cultures. Espousing different perceptions of cultures and individual agency, Ali and her postcolonial critics also stand for two distinct sets of concerns, experiences, and aspirations. In opposing one another, these two perspectives serve to complicate our overall conceptions of non-Western societies and cultures.

Low immigrant mortality in England and Wales: A data artefact?

Previous research shows low mortality for most immigrants compared to natives in host countries. This advantage is often attributed to health selection processes in migration and to protective health behaviours. Little research has examined the role of data quality, especially the registration of moves. Registration errors relating to moves between origin and host countries can mismatch deaths and risk populations, leading to denominator bias and an under-estimation of migrant mortality (data artefact). The paper investigates the mortality of immigrants in England and Wales from 1971 to 2001 using the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study (ONS LS), a 1% sample of the population of England and Wales. We apply parametric survival models to study the mortality of 450,000 individuals. We conduct sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of entry and exit uncertainty on immigrant mortality rates. The analysis shows that most international migrants have lower mortality than natives in England and Wales. Differences largely persist when we adjust models to entry and exit uncertainty and they become pronounced once we control for individual socioeconomic characteristics. This study supports low mortality among immigrants and shows that results are not a data artefact.

The communities providing religious education and catechesis to Polish immigrants in England and Wales

Since Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004, hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens have arrived in the UK in search of work, of which the majority landed in England and Wales. This process, although not as fast now, is still ongoing. The majority of immigrants from Poland are young people who start families and have children. Many of these children are born in the UK. For this reason, it is increasingly common for the children of Polish immigrants to be covered by the local school system. In addition to general knowledge, they also have the right to religious education and catechesis. This article presents a summary of the communities providing religious education and catechesis to Polish migrants living in England and Wales. It describes the specific features of religious education in state-run schools, Catholic schools and Polish Saturday Schools. The objectives of parish catechesis conducted by the Polish Catholic missions operating in England and Wales are also outlined. The primary objective of this discussion is to present the various options for religious education and catechesis for the children of Polish immigrants living in England and Wales.

Arrangements for the integration of Irish immigrants in England and Wales. By Anthony E. C. W. Spencer. edited by Mary E. Daly. Pp Xviii, 137. Dublin: Irish Manuscripts Commission. 2012. €35.

Arrangements for the integration of Irish immigrants in England and Wales. By Anthony E. C. W. Spencer. edited by Mary E. Daly. Pp Xviii, 137. Dublin: Irish Manuscripts Commission. 2012. €35. - Volume 39 Issue 153

164-P: HLA DQB1 06:09 SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE RISK OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AMONGST PARSIS (ZOROASTRIANS) OF INDIA

The frequency of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) varies worldwide. Zoroastrians (Parsis) of Mumbai, India comprise a tiny inbred group who have shown a significantly higher prevalence of MS. DNA typing of HLA Class II DRB1 and DQB1 alleles was performed on 13 Parsi patients. DNA was extracted from blood samples of 13 MS Parsi patients (remitting relapsing) and 50 healthy Parsi controls. Low and high resolution HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 molecular typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction using sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) (Olerup SSP, Qiagen). A statistically significant increase in HLA-DRB1∗15 xx (23% vs. 8%) and HLA-DQB1∗06 xx (26.9% vs 8%,) was detected in Parsi patients as compared to controls. High resolution typing of HLA-DQB1∗06 xx amongst them showed a significant increase in DQB1∗06:09 (11.53% vs. 2%) OR = 7.2; Chi square = 2.86; p value 0.05, CI (0.82-73.29).[ Table 1 ] Dean and Wadia studied MS patients amongst Asian immigrants in England. Five Parsis were found with definite MS in a community of 5000, as compared to 23 amongst 383,000 ethnic Indian immigrants. It has been of some concern that our genetic analysis is in a small number of patients, but such is the cohort available from this tiny community, which is now spread worldwide. Earlier clinical data has shown small affected populations can yield valuable information that may reflect on broader issues of genetic susceptibility. So a higher frequency of DRB1∗15 and DQB1∗06 in MS patients with a statistically significant increase in the DQB1∗06:09 allele is detected.