A Comparative Study on the Integration of Culturally Diverse Zimbabwean and Somali Communities in Leicester.
Post-war immigration which radically transformed the ethnic profile of most English cities ushered in official debate on the need to formulate policies in managing ethnic and racial diversity. Following the 2001 racial riots in the Northern English industrial cities, the city of Leicester has been identified as a unique model of a multicultural city with best practices in managing integration of its diverse ethnic minorities. The significant influx of African Caribbeans and South Asians in the second half of the 20th century catapulted political and policy debates in the city on how best to formulate integration policies which will manage the co-existence of an increasingly multi-ethnic society. By the turn of the 21st century. Leicester had instituted integration policies which allow cultures to maintain their individual identity whilst interacting with each other on the basis of egalitarianism. Whilst recognising the role played by African Caribbean and South Asian immigration in transforming Leicester into a leading example of effective multiculturalism, this research will critically evaluate how 21st century Zimbabwean and Somali immigration set in motion a new phase in the transformation of Leicester's population profile. The cultural diversity and the diverse nature of immigration of the two African communities reignited integration initiatives which would allow these new communities to maintain their identity whilst they interleave with the dominant cultures. The real challenge to contemporary Leicester's reputation as a tolerant multicultural city was that Zimbabwean and Somali immigration took place when the dominant culture was not restricted to that of the indigenous white population. Long established immigrants, such as South Asians, had also forged an identity which allowed them to be active socio-economic and political participants in multicultural Leicester. The research's findings establish that a critical evaluation of Zimbabwean and Somali integration should recognise the diverse social, economic and political experiences of the communities prior to immigrating. These diverse experiences exhibited in ability to communicate in English, human capital, social class, immigration status, and cultural values which incorporate religion and gender issues, constructed a diverse socio-economic integration process between the two communities.
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