Residential dispersal explored through the internal migration of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs in England: Consequences for debates on self-selected segregation

Ethnic residential patterns gained prominence on the British government’s agenda due to race riots in 2001 and terrorist attacks in 2005. The involvement of British born Muslims in both events caused increasing concern over the residential segregation of these and other non-white groups in British cities. Several studies have explored the residential dispersal of ethnic groups however given Muslims have become the centre of concern on self-selected residential segregation, no studies have utilised data on religious affiliation to explore their internal migration patterns. Using interaction data this paper analyses intra-neighbourhood (ward) migration of Muslims, and the two largest Non-European decent religious groups, Hindus and Sikhs in Birmingham, one of England’s largest cities. Analysis of the data shows Muslims demonstrate a greater propensity to move away from high concentration Muslim neighbourhoods, providing evidence against self-selected residential segregation. Using deprivation indices the analysis shows that all three groups move away from deprivation. Hindus and Sikhs showed existing clusters in affluent areas, whereas for Muslims this was less so . Therefore deprivation can be argued to hinder the greater dispersal of Muslim populations in urban Britain rather than self-selected segregation.