Ethnic enclave

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An ethnic enclave, or ethnic neighborhood is a neighborhood, district, or suburb which retains some cultural distinction from a larger, surrounding area. Sometimes an entire city may have such a feel. Usually the enclave revolves around businesses that are run by the members of the community. They are usually associated with the group of people who live in the enclaves. Many enclaves have recently begun moving into more suburban areas and new enclaves have begun forming outside of major cities, because the current enclaves are not the most desirable places to live and people who come from other countries are making more money and are able to live in the suburbs.^[1] Ethnic enclaves form all over the world, not just in the United States.

Historically, the formation of ethnic enclaves may be involuntary, as an ethnic or racial ghetto, due to housing discrimination which prevented members of ethnic, or religious minorities from settling in other parts of town. For example, in the United States this discrimination has taken the form of redlining, restrictive covenants^[2] and mortgage discrimination. Discrimination still remains a factor in the persistence of racial enclaves in cities.^[3]^[4] Although discrimination and racism have played roles in the creation of racial enclaves, they are not the only factors.

New immigrants and migrants typically settled in neighborhoods with others from their cultural background, and even from their home villages. To city residents who are not part of the community, the ethnic area has become a dining and shopping destination and source of "authentic" ethnic food and groceries, such as Chinese cuisine in Chinatowns and Italian restaurants in Little Italys.

Survey evidence from both national and local studies shows that black households prefer neighborhoods that are half black and half white, while whites prefer neighborhoods ranging from 0 to 30 percent black.^[5]

With continuing changes in American culture, community business leaders have found ways to promote certain ethnic enclaves as tourist attractions for revenue. Services and goods in the area are oriented toward the ethnic group, and the lingua franca for business and social exchanges in the area is the native language of the group. Street signs and business signs may be in the native language or in multiple languages, such as street signs in English and Chinese in Chinatowns. English is also used when conducting transactions with customers outside—even within (especially with American-born descendants of ethnic immigrants) —the ethnic group.

Ethnic enclaves may also be sources of imported goods not easily found or sold in mainstream American retail outlets. Japanese-language popular culture items such as anime may be sold in Little Tokyo, a wide range of ginseng and herbs as well as Hong Kong cinema Video CDs can be purchased in Chinatown, and Bollywood blockbuster DVDs can be found in Little India. Enclaves are also sources of ethnic language media. These often provide a different scope of coverage than do mainstream news sources. For instance, Chinese-language newspapers are likely to carry more articles about mainland China. The ethnic media might focus closely on events in the country of origin and within the ethnic enclaves themselves (such as political rallies in Chinatown) and satellite immigrant communities.

Jewish enclaves may be enclosed in an eruv while Muslim enclaves may have loudspeakers to announce the calls to prayer.

Economy

In the case of many ethnic enclaves, businesses started by the members of the community are a major source of income for the people who chose to move into the enclave. Traditional shops to buy clothes and food from the countries in which the people come from are often some of the main things that are sold. The growth of these businesses may be due to discrimination of major industry in the city in which these people move to. Also not being able to speak English very well may also lead to the fact that these people have to start their own businesses because they are discriminated against. Often self employment has been a very prosperous choice for the people who start these businesses because many people would rather go to these shops and they don't have to face the competition from larger businesses. ^[6]

The enclave economy is sheltered from other economies and basically have their own economy. The enclave is usually segregated to the people that live in the enclave and are of the same ethnic background as the other people that live in the enclave, this makes it hard for other people from different backgrounds to get work or start businesses in the enclave. The housing, labor, and capital markets are sheltered from outside competition and are restricted to the people in the enclave, usually. They are also sheltered from regulation from the government and government interference. This sheltered form of economy is a positive alternative to joining the primary economic market because it protects the people in the enclave from outside competition.

Religion

Religion has played a predominant role in the forming of ethnic enclaves. Enclaves are often driven by the desire for people to be around their own religious groups. As in China Town, there are many different groups who speak various languages which require some social stratification between one another. For example, the Church of Grace was first established to accommodate the influx of Fujianese in China Town, but had to be split due to other dividing qualities such as gender, kinship, surname, and regional groupings.

Italians didn’t give up their roots upon arrival to America; Little Italy is based around Catholicism just as in Italy. Many other enclaves, such as Irishtown, Little Saigon, and Little Manila, have a wide variety of religions due to oppression in original countries. In many cases the reason that people leave their countries is to rid themselves of religious oppression. When they come to a new country, they want to settle around people who share religion. Also, they don't want to face the same oppression that they once did in their homeland.

Enclave economic theory

The enclave economic theory states that the spatial concentration of an ethnic group permits it to create its own business enterprises, thus speeding the economic progress of the group. It stresses that ethnic and racial minorities can make more rapid initial economic progress when they create an enclave economy. Some advantages are that it creates an increasingly successful group of entrepreneurs in the ethnic community and the ties of the ethnic community allows the owners to give their employees a better deal. It gives them a better chance of moving forward than they would have in the outside economy. This is the position of Alejandro Portes and his colleagues.^[7]

United States

The idea of an ethnic enclave is really where the so called “American Dream” may start for those who come to America. It is not merely a neighborhood of an ethnic group or certain culture, but more of a comfort zone to those who are starting new lives. It exists because when you have practically nothing, which many immigrants do, you need a place to start. Also when immigrants go to another country, it is easier to start a new life around people in the same situations as they are and who speak the same language. It may be easier to find a job or start a business with people who come from the same culture.

An ethnic enclave is a subdivision of an American city with more layers than appear present. The ethnic enclaves of America have always been a place where immigrants are worth something and can be in a comfortable world because they are surrounded by individuals of the same culture and ethnicity. This is a place where new immigrants can stay when moving to America or any country and get a foundation under them.

In the 19th and 20th century immigrations of populations from rural areas, new immigrants typically didn't have much else than what they could bring with them. They often found jobs in ethnic enclaves and worked to become established, hoping to move on themselves or for their children to have better opportunities. It is also a place to help them adapt to American culture. ^[8]

New York City has many ethnic enclaves, where almost 170 languages are spoken and over 100 different countries are represented. Ethnic groups with ethnic enclaves in New York City include Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, African Americans, Greek, Russians, Jews, amongst many other nationalities, races, and religions.

Other U.S. major cities known for ethnic enclaves are Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and the Washington, DC/Baltimore, Maryland area.

Types of enclaves

Chinatown

A Chinatown is a section of an urban area containing a large number of Chinese people or Chinese run commercial activities within a city that is not in China. Chinatowns are most common in Southeast Asia and North America.

Many Chinatowns have a long history, such as Shinchimachi, the nearly three-century old Chinatown in Nagasaki, Japan, or Yaowarat Road in Bangkok, which was founded by Chinese traders more than 200 years ago. Other Chinatowns are much newer: the Chinatown in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. formed in the 1990s. Most Chinatowns grew without any organized plans set in place, while a very few (such as the one in Las Vegas and a new area outside the city limits of Seoul, South Korea) resulted from deliberate master plans by the Chinatown community overlord (overseer) (sometimes as part of redevelopment projects to better the location). Indeed, many areas of the world are embracing the development and redevelopment (or regeneration) of Chinatowns, such as in Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. In Italy right-wing ideology and anti-Chinatown sentiments have made efforts at such redevelopment more challenging.

Black neighborhoods

Harlem in New York City and The Hill District in Pittsburgh are famous examples. Many black neighborhoods were formed due to racial segregation and oppression. Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a great example of a neighborhood formed due to segregation. Another good example is Central City in New Orleans. Other black enclaves can be found accross large towns and cities within the United Kingdom. Notably Brixton, Peckham and Harlesden in London, Moss Side, Hulme and Longsight in Manchester, [[Aston] and Lozells in Birmingham and Chapeltown in Leeds.

Little Italy

Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated (or formerly populated) primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry. It can also be the name of a specific Italian neighborhood. Some Italian neighborhoods may have other names, but are colloquially referred to as "Little Italy".

Greektown

Greektown is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated (or formerly populated) primarily by Greeks or people of Greek ancestry. It can also be the name of a specific Greek neighborhood. Some Greek neighborhoods may have other names (such as Little Athens in Toronto).

Little India

Little India is any place around the world, which hosts a concentration of people who have migrated from the Indian Subcontinent. This definition includes people mainly from India, but also includes Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi, etc nationals. The term is generally used in Western countries, but can be seen in other regions, such as South East Asia, South West Asia (the Middle East), and Europe. A few examples of a Little India around the world are:Oak Tree Road in Edison, NJ Singapore; Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur; Devon Avenue, Chicago; Hicksville, New York; Toronto; and Southall, London.

Also see: Non Resident Indian.

Irishtown

Irishtown in Ireland, during the medieval era and later, native Irish people were prohibited from living inside the walls of most cities and towns. The areas they lived in outside the walls became known as Irishtown, and this survives in many modern place names in towns and cities like Athlone, Clonmel, Dublin, Kilkenny and Limerick.

Japantown

Japantown is a common name for Japanese American, Japanese Canadian or Japanese Filipino communities in big cities. Alternatively, Japantowns are called Little Tokyos or Nihonmachis (日本町 or 日本街) or J-towns. Liberdade is the Japanese district in São Paulo, Brazil, San Miguel and Dilao, Paco, Manila, the Philippines. Liberdade, São Paulo has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Large Japanese communities are also found in Lima, Peru; Hong Kong; Los Angeles; New York City; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

Little Saigon

Little Saigon is a name given to any of several overseas Vietnamese immigrant and descendant communities outside Vietnam, usually in the United States. There has been relatively little direct immigration to the United States from the northern portions of Vietnam.

Little Manila

Little Manila (also known as Manilatown or Filipinotown) is a community with a large Filipino expatriate and descendant population. Little Manilas are very common in the United States and Canada.

Little Pakistan

Little Pakistan is a locality of an urban area containing a large number of Overseas Pakistanis. They are mainly found in Europe and the Middle East.

Little Portugal

Little Portugal is an area in South London, specifically Stockwell where there is a large Portuguese community. Many families first settled in the area during the 1960s and 1970s. Many worked in the catering and hospitality trade, with some women gaining a reputation as efficient and courteous domestic servants. Later, others, with their savings, started to open restaurants on South Lambeth Road.

Barrios

In the U.S., Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods and sections. Examples would be East Los Angeles near L.A. (Mexican), the Spanish Harlem (Puerto Ricans) in Manhattan, New York City and Little Havana in Miami, Florida (Cuban).

References

^ "Immigrant Enclaves and Ethnic Enclaves in New York and Los Angeles." John R. Logan American Sociological Review, Vol. 115, (April) pp. 299–322
^ The Origins and Diffusion of Racial Restrictive Covenants Michael Jones-Correa Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 115, No. 4 (Winter, 2000–2001), pp. 541–568
^ The Racial Structuring of the Housing Market and Segregation in Suburban Areas Linda Brewster Stearns, John R. Logan Social Forces, Vol. 65, No. 1 (Sep., 1986), pp. 28–42
^ Stephen R Holloway (1998) Exploring the Neighborhood Contingency of Race Discrimination in Mortgage Lending in Columbus, Ohio Annals of the Association of American Geographers 88 (2), 252–276.
^ Residential segregation in American cities: a review and interpretation W. A. V. Clark Population Research and Policy Review Volume 5, Number 2 / January, 1986
^ "A Comparison of the Cuban and Black Economies in Miami." Kenneth L. Wilson American Sociological Review. Vol. 88 (1982) pp. 135–161
^ Stark, Rodney. Sociology: Tenth Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2007.
^ “What’s an Ethnic Enclave? The Case for Conceptual Clarity.” A. Portes, American Sociological Review