Neighborhood Ties Research Articles

The effect of neighbourhood social ties on migrants' subjective wellbeing in Chinese cities

Existing literature on migrants' subjective wellbeing (SWB) in Chinese cities has highlighted the crucial role of social ties, yet the pathways by which social ties influence their SWB remain poorly understood. Using Guangzhou survey data and multilevel linear regressions, this paper examines the extent to and ways in which migrants' social ties with neighbours enhance their SWB, with a particular focus on the distinction between the main effects and buffering effects of their neighbourhood ties. Results from multilevel models reveal that neighbourhood ties enhance migrants' SWB in a direct manner, but no evidence shows that neighbourhood ties lessen the negative impacts of neighbourhood deprivation. Results also illustrate that the association between neighbourhood ties and SWB is stronger for locals than for migrants. This paper contributes to our understanding of migrants' SWB by disentangling the positive effects of their social ties with neighbours and investigating the role of migrants' neighbourhood ties in relation to stress arising from neighbourhood deprivation.

The neighbourhood roots of social cohesion: Notes on an exceptional case of Singapore

At a time where neighbourhood ties seem to be declining, society’s expectations remain high that such local relations can be mobilized to manage a range of social issues. From a policy perspective, can the neighbourhood do more? Analyzing five waves of pooled cross-sectional data from Singapore between 2001 and 2009, we observe significant variations in neighbouring activity across residential contexts (e.g. public vs. private) as well as across time. By using the exceptional case of Singapore (small country, strong administrative capacity and high levels of public housing ownership), our study highlights the importance of public housing allocation and provision policies in fostering higher rates of neighbouring and neighbourly sentiments (compared to private housing estates); the positive connection between neighbourhood sentiment and national sentiment; and the sustainability of such effects over time.

Могут ли соседские связи оставаться важными для мигрантов в мегаполисах?

Могут ли соседские связи оставаться важными для мигрантов в мегаполисах?

Characteristics of Chinese rural networks: Evidence from villages in central China

Characteristics such as ‘acquaintance society’ and ‘differential mode of association’ have been widely acknowledged as unique features of Chinese rural societies. However, quantitative evidence of these characteristics is not found in the literature. Applying methods in social network analysis, this paper presents a quantitative study of the social structure of Chinese villages. We measure various network statistics and topological properties of these villages using detailed data on major social relationships (including kinship, house neighbourhood, land plot neighbourhood and political relationships) in 10 rural villages located in central China. In this way, we provide a quantitative description of the structural characteristics of Chinese villages and quantitative evidence for some widely acknowledged features. Our findings are threefold: (1) the networks of Chinese villages are densely connected and highly decentralised; (2) the networks are typical small-world networks, referred to in network research as ‘acquaintance societies’; (3) individuals form neighbourhood ties according to the closeness of existing kinship ties, which corroborates the feature of ‘differential mode of association’.

Perceived social diversity and neighbourhood attachment: The role of intergroup ties and affective appraisals of the environment. Evidence from Poland

AbstractThis paper investigates the relationship between perceived ethnic, age and income diversity and neighbourhood attachment, accounting for measures of objective diversity calculated for small, individualised neighbourhoods. With data from Warsaw in Poland, we examine whether neighbourhood ties with people of different ethnicity, age and income moderate the relationship between perceived diversity and attachment. We also test affective appraisals of the environment (excitement and irritation) as a mediator between perceived diversity and attachment. Perceived ethnic diversity was positively related to neighbourhood attachment, and this link was mediated by the emotion of excitement. Perceived income diversity undermined attachment regardless of the neighbourhood ties, and this link was not mediated by affective appraisals. Perceived age diversity was related to lower neighbourhood attachment only for individuals who had few ties with neighbours of different ages. We argue that the effects of diversity may depend on the socio‐cultural context, specifically on the level and meaning of diversity in a given society.

An arson spree in college town: community enhancement through media convergence

Fears of media and technology undermining ‘community’ have persisted for half a century. It is believed that, in the digital age, place-based collectivities of people become isolated and individualized through media and technology, replacing ‘place-based’ communities with placeless ‘communities of interest’. While this greater trend may well exist, it is hardly uniform. This research examines how sufficiently flexible technologies and media can do the exact opposite: reinforce neighborhood ties and affirm a sense of community, particularly in times of crisis. A singular event, an arson spree, can create a bevy of bounded information for analysis. What unfolds is an image of a community enhanced by social media, providing a new perspective for both areas of research. Rather than using broad survey data, this study examines community through the prism of these fires to reinforce findings on community connection and identity and offers new suggestions for research.

Latino residential segregation and self-rated health among Latinos: Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2012–2014

The relationship between Latino residential segregation and self-rated health (SRH) is unclear, but might be partially affected by social capital. We investigated the association between Latino residential segregation and SRH while also examining the roles of various social capital measures. Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2012–2014) and U.S. Census data were linked by zip code and zip code tabulation area. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to estimate odds of good or better SRH by Latino residential segregation, measured by the Gini coefficient, and controlling for sociodemographic, acculturation and social capital measures of neighborhood ties, collective socialization of children, and social control. The Latino residential segregation – SRH relationship was convex, or ‘U’-shaped, such that increases in segregation among Latinos residing in lower segregation areas was associated with lower SRH while increases in segregation among Latinos residing in higher segregation areas was associated with higher SRH. The social capital measures were independently associated with SRH but had little effect on the relationship between Latino residential segregation and SRH. A convex relationship between Latino residential segregation and SRH could explain mixed findings of previous studies. Although important for SRH, social capital measures of neighborhood ties, collective socialization of children, and social control might not account for the relationship between Latino residential segregation and SRH.

What effect did the mob have on Chicago neighborhoods? Explicating the relationship between racket subcultures and informal social control

This paper examines the relationship between racket subcultures and informal social control. Specifically, this paper examines the influence of traditional organized crime on informal social control in community areas while controlling for satisfaction with the police, tolerance of deviance, neighborhood and organizational ties, and neighborhood attachment. The data used in this analysis comes from the Community Survey of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. They were obtained from the Inter University Consortium of Political and Social Science Research. Ordered logistic regression was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that racket areas reported higher levels of informal social control when compared to similar non racket areas in the city of Chicago. These findings have important implications for the study of deviance. Not only do they suggest that criminals can play an important role in controlling street crime, the findings also support differential social organization theory.

Pulling us apart? The association between fear of crime and social cohesion in South Africa

Fear of crime, like crime itself, is thought to be a factor that constrains efforts by government and non-state actors to promote socially cohesive communities and a caring society. As concerns have mounted over various aspects of the social fabric in South Africa, increasing policy attention has been directed at perceptions of safety and nation-building. In this study, we use nationally representative survey data to examine recent theoretical models on the link between fear of crime and social cohesion within communities. The results do not offer strong support for the hypothesis that higher fear of crime is associated with lower levels of social trust, neighbourhood ties and civic cohesion, although fear does have a moderate, adverse influence on attitudes towards law enforcement.

Improving Health in Low-Income Communities With Group Texting

Research on digital glocalization has found that Internet communication, which enables communication across distances, also enhances local ties. As a first-time test of this on mobile devices, a neighborhood texting intervention was employed in New York City public housing. Results of this 3-month field experiment revealed that intervention participants reported better health but worse neighborhood cohesion compared to those in the control condition. Qualitative analysis of texts and interviews suggests that participation improved interpersonal ties but did not improve neighborhood ties. Findings expand glocalization research to encompass mobile contexts and health outcomes, and support a theory of networked individualism, which argues that digital groups should be conceptualized as a compilation of overlapping interpersonal ties.

MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS: MARRIED WOMEN AND CREDIT IN EARLY EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY LONDON.

Taking a micro-historical approach, this paper explores the business activities of Elizabeth Carter and Elizabeth Hatchett, two married women who operated together as pawnbrokers in London in the early decades of the eighteenth century. Based on a protracted inheritance dispute through which their extensive dealings come to light, the discussion assesses married women's lending and investment strategies in a burgeoning metropolitan economy; the networks through which women lenders operated; and the extent to which wives could sidestep the legal conventions of 'coverture' which restricted their ownership of moveable property. It is argued that the moneylending and asset management activities of women like Carter and Hatchett were an important part of married women's work that did not simply consolidate neighbourhood ties but that placed them at the heart of the early modern economy.

Toward a Relational Account of Neighborhood Governance

Although changes in urban space often mean a restructuring of social relations, few studies elucidate why network-related frameworks are inherently related to residential outcomes in urban neighborhoods. By proposing a relational account of neighborhood governance, we investigate outcomes of neighborhood governance by incorporating a series of measures of network forms of organization, network-based social capital, and neighborly interactions. Based on a collaborative survey project conducted in Guangzhou, we find that neighborhood ties and neighborly interactions are positively associated with neighborhood attachment and cohesion, whereas uneven power relations between grassroots governments and civic homeowners associations are negatively associated with these two measures. These results not only reveal new social dynamics in urban space but also lend support to a relational account of neighborhood governance.

Social Aspects Of Managing Homeowner Associations

Abstract The article calls attention to homeowners associations (HOAs), which are becoming the dominant organizational form of housing development. It focuses on managing HOAs, especially on the social aspects and determinants of the process. The author claims that in order to understand how HOAs function, it is absolutely crucial to take social aspects under consideration. The members’ involvement, relations between the tenants and cultural norms influence the effectiveness of collective action. Those issues are especially important for professional property managers. The aim of the article is to present social aspects of managing HOAs in Poland. The article presents the results of a study on the social aspects of HOA activity. It examines and compares three organizational models of HOAs in Poland. One of them is self-managing, with an active board of the association that operates without external help; this model requires a high level of volunteer commitment. The second model represents HOAs jointly managed by the board and a professional property manager; this type is heterogeneous – the allocation of tasks and relations between the two players vary according to the level of the board's engagement. The last type represents a HOA that was not able to establish a board, thus its role is played by a professional property manager. In all three types, both organizational structures and management methods depend on the level of the homeowners’ engagement. The study indicates such engagement factors. HOAs are characterized by their typical operations, decision-making processes, information flow, the roles played by the board of the association and professional property manager, the level of volunteer commitment and neighborhood ties. The study also indicates satisfaction factors in terms of the property manager's service.

Modelling the Future. Occupational and Marital Choices of an Early Modern Antwerp Family Facing Crisis

In the early modern period, the city of Antwerp faced serious economic challenges. At least some of its resident families looked for new opportunities in other occupational sectors. To this end, they had various (intermingled) mechanisms at their disposal, such as apprenticeships, marital alliances, neighbourhood ties, cultural affiliations, applying for public offices, etc. While current research mostly examines these tactics separately, this article will use an integrated approach for one well-documented family, the Boons.

‘Ageing in place’: experiences of older adults in Amsterdam and Portland

This article addresses the importance and meanings of formal and informal social support relationships and neighbourhood ties for older adults ‘ageing in place’ in urban neighbourhoods in two different welfare state settings: Portland (Oregon, the United States) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands). The rising number of people growing old(er) in urban environments raises new demands and pressing challenges for urban development. The majority of older adults are and will be ageing in their homes and communities, as opposed to institutionalized care facilities and settings. At the same time, the provision of formal and public care is being increasingly challenged by government cutbacks. On top of this, the formerly strong welfare states in many European countries have weakened. In-depth interviews with 40 older adults and key informants in two neighbourhoods in each city provide the empirical basis for this study. In Portland, there are widespread local civic initiatives related to care provision for older adults. The city has a long tradition both of individual responsibility and community culture, which has emerged from and appears to compensate for the overall lack of state services and support. Amsterdam has a long tradition of state provision, but is experiencing a policy shift towards a stronger reliance on private market-led services, and an emphasis on family and community as providers of support. Although a few emerging local initiatives for elderly care in Amsterdam were identified, it is unclear whether this form of community support can compensate for decreasing state provision in Amsterdam. This study raises concerns about the future of care provision for older adults living in unsupportive urban neighbourhoods, without financial resources or nearby relatives.

Transnational, social, and neighborhood ties and smoking among Latino immigrants: does gender matter?

We examined whether transnational ties, social ties, and neighborhood ties were independently associated with current smoking status among Latino immigrants. We also tested interactions to determine whether these associations were moderated by gender. We conducted a series of weighted logistic regression analyses (i.e., economic remittances, number of return visits, friend support, family support, and neighborhood cohesion) using the Latino immigrant subsample (n = 1629) of the National Latino and Asian American Study in 2002 and 2003. The number of past-year return visits to the country-of-origin was positively associated with current smoker status. Gender moderated the association between economic remittances, friend support, and smoking. Remittance behavior had a protective association with smoking, and this association was particularly pronounced for Latino immigrant women. Friendship support lowered the odds of smoking among men, but not women. Our results underscore the growing importance of transnational networks for understanding Latino immigrant health and the gendered patterns of the associations between social ties, transnational ties, and health risk behaviors.

Assessment of neighborhood context in a nationally representative study.

This paper introduces new measures of neighborhood context that are included in the second wave of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP). We describe the use of field interviewer ratings of respondents' neighborhood conditions, as well as the adaptation of existing measures for the assessment of neighborhood social context among urban and nonurban older adults. We construct scales of neighborhood problems, neighborhood social cohesion, neighborhood social ties, and perceived neighborhood danger, and assess their reliability and validity. We then calculate descriptive statistics for measures of neighborhood context across respondent age, gender, and racial/ethnic background, and across low-, moderate-, and high-density residential blocks. We find that older women report greater neighborhood cohesion and more neighborhood ties than older men, but women also perceive more neighborhood danger. Black and Hispanic older adults reside in neighborhoods with more problems, lower cohesion, fewer social ties, and greater perceived danger. Neighborhood characteristics also vary across residential densities. Neighborhood problems and perceived danger increase with block-level density, but neighborhood social cohesion and social ties were lowest among residents of moderate-density blocks. The inclusion of neighborhood context measures in the second wave of NSHAP provides a unique opportunity to explore associations among neighborhood context, social connectedness, and indicators of health and function among older adults. We discuss limitations of the measures and provide recommendations for their use.

Household repayment behaviour and neighbourhood effects

The recent financial crisis has revealed the financial vulnerability faced by a significant number of households in the UK. Households experiencing financial problems may potentially fall into arrears in meeting financial obligations such as rent, mortgage payments or household bills. Indeed, such arrears have been regarded as one of the most direct measures of financial stress at the household level. In this paper, we explore the relationship between household repayment behaviour and neighbourhood ties in order to identify possible channels of support for households experiencing financial stress. We analyse data on 17,723 households drawn from wave 1 of the UK longitudinal study, Understanding Society, merged with information on neighbourhood ties defined at the postcode area level elicited from a sample of 48,906 individuals. Our findings, which relate to the post financial crisis era, suggest that households in regions characterised by strong neighbourhood ties are less likely to report being in arrears and that this relationship is particularly apparent in the case of housing costs. This inverse relationship is strongest in regions characterised by a high density of individuals who feel able to turn to someone in the neighbourhood for support or advice. Thus, neighbourhood and community groups, which enhance social interaction and neighbourhood ties, may be effective channels of support for financially vulnerable households.

Book Review: Media and Social Inequality: Innovations in Community Structure Research, by John C. Pollock

Media and Social Inequality: Innovations in Community Structure Research. John C. Pollock, ed. London: Routledge, 2013. 194 pp. $145 hbk.John Pollock's Media and Social Inequality: Innovations in Community Structure Research grew out of a special edition of the journal Mass Communication and Society, also edited by Pollock. Both develop concepts and measurement in struc- ture research, and attempt to move beyond the notion that media serve only as guard dogs for local elite. For Pollock, journalists are deeply connected to the social and economic concerns of their media markets. They are on the side of social change and not merely social control.Media and Social Inequality follows Pollock's 2007 book Tilted Mirrors (Hampton Press), which explicated a model for using community-level data to explain local news coverage. Media and Social Inequality offers thought-provoking and diverse studies of media's context from an impressive lineup of news research- ers. Variation in scholars' approaches reflects variation in the meaning of community Some chapters are consistent with Pollock's approach, assessing the relationship between characteristics and news coverage. Other chapters are rooted in the structural approach of Tichenor, Donohue, and Olien, which conceptualizes news as a consequence of a community's power dis- tribution. Chapters focus on an array of dependent variables: news content, social trust, blog creation, and neighborhood ties are all assessed as possible consequences of structure. Findings vary, depending on conceptualization and measure- ment. Clearly, community structure has many dimensions, and a great deal of the book's value lies in the revelation and comparison of these dimensions.Pollock opens the book with a call for attention to the relationship between com- munity social inequality and news coverage, offering research findings that reveal relationships between characteristics and news coverage of protests. The causal mechanism that leads from characteristics to decisions about news content is a bit obscure-Pollock addresses this relationship more thoroughly in Tilted Mirrors. But Pollock's approach is valuable for bringing to light the multiple ways news reflects characteristics, for providing a method for analyzing these relationships, and for demonstrating that there is more to than power differentiation.Nah and Armstrong's chapter follows with an eye-opening review of the wide- ranging conceptual and methodological paths taken by scholars. They note that the concept of structural may have multiple dimensions-an ethnic pluralism dimension, for example-and they suggest viewing journalism's role in social control and social change on a continuum.In the subsequent two chapters, Yamamoto and Hindman introduce the role that media play in bottom-up organization for change, critical in considering the relation- ship between media and social inequality. …

Challenges to social capacity building in flood-affected areas of southern Poland

Abstract. Various aspects of beliefs, behaviour and expectations of at-risk populations were analysed in four case study localities in southern Poland that were affected by flooding in 1997 and 2001. They represent localities of different sizes and are characterised by different paths of historical development. Two of them are deep-rooted communities with dense, strong family and neighbourhood ties, while the other two experienced an almost total replacement of their population due to decisions taken after World War II and still suffer from less developed social networks. Historical events also resulted in the disruption of local memories of flooding and transmission of knowledge about natural hazards. A questionnaire survey was conducted in late autumn 2006, followed by structured telephone interviews and focus group interviews in spring 2008. The results of the survey and interviews were analysed with reference to the social capacity framework and its five dimensions: knowledge, motivational, network, economic and governance capacities. Network capacities, that is resources of bonding and bridging social capital, were considered a key notion when analysing and interpreting the results. The differences in the local resources and abilities available in each of the localities to prepare a response to natural hazards were revealed. Consequently, challenges faced in the process of building and strengthening social capacity were identified as well as ways to address these challenges. It was concluded that there are general trends and tendencies that need to be considered in risk management strategies, however the different starting points of each case study community calls for different means and approaches, as well as producing somewhat different expected outcomes.