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  • You Can't Put Me in A Box: Super-Diversity and The End of Identity Politics in Britain

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    This paper attempts to map out just how diverse Britain is, both in terms of who lives in Britain and how they identify themselves. We explore how discrimination and disadvantage do not map easily onto orthodox ‘strand-based’ frameworks and assess the shortcomings of current approaches to understanding and tackling discrimination and disadvantage. While we aim for this to be a paper that provokes rather than answers questions, we conclude with some implications we see for policymakers, data collectors and others.

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    You Can’t Put Me In A Box: Super-diversity and the end of identity politics in Britain

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    This paper attempts to map out just how diverse Britain is, both in terms of who lives in Britain and how they identify themselves. We explore how discrimination and disadvantage do not map easily onto orthodox ‘strand-based’ frameworks and assess the shortcomings of current approaches to understanding and tackling discrimination and disadvantage. While we aim for this to be a paper that provokes rather than answers questions, we conclude with some implications we see for policymakers, data collectors and others.

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    1K views38 pages

    You Can't Put Me in A Box: Super-Diversity and The End of Identity Politics in Britain

    Uploaded by

    IPPR
    This paper attempts to map out just how diverse Britain is, both in terms of who lives in Britain and how they identify themselves. We explore how discrimination and disadvantage do not map easily onto orthodox ‘strand-based’ frameworks and assess the shortcomings of current approaches to understanding and tackling discrimination and disadvantage. While we aim for this to be a paper that provokes rather than answers questions, we conclude with some implications we see for policymakers, data collectors and others.

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    of 38

    WWW.IPPR.

    ORG

    ’YouCan’tPutMeIn
    ABox’
    Super-diversityandtheendofidentity
    politicsinBritain
    bySimonFanshaweandDhananjayanSriskandarajah
    January2010
    ©ippr2010

    InstituteforPublicPolicyResearch
    Challengingideas– Changingpolicy
    2 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Contents
    Aboutippr ................................................................................................................................................................. 3
    Abouttheauthors...................................................................................................................................................... 3
    Authors’acknowledgements...................................................................................................................................... 3
    1.Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
    2.Super-diverseBritain............................................................................................................................................ 11
    3.Newidentities ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
    4.Newtypesofpolicitalorganisation ..................................................................................................................... 18
    5.Disadvantageanddiscrimination......................................................................................................................... 21
    6.Whatiswrongwithcurrentapproaches? ............................................................................................................ 24
    7.Raceversusclass:anexampleofwhyweneedbetteranalysis .......................................................................... 27
    8.Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................ 30
    Appendix:Listofinterviewees................................................................................................................................. 35
    References .................................................................................................................................................................36
    3 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Aboutippr

    TheInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch(ippr)istheUK’sleadingprogressivethinktank,
    producingcutting-edgeresearchandinnovativepolicyideasforajust,democraticand
    sustainableworld.
    Since1988,wehavebeenattheforefrontofprogressivedebateandpolicymakinginthe
    UK.Throughourindependentresearchandanalysiswedefinenewagendasforchangeand
    providepracticalsolutionstochallengesacrossthefullrangeofpublicpolicyissues.
    WithofficesinbothLondonandNewcastle,weensureouroutlookisasbroad-basedas
    possible,whileourGlobalChangeprogrammeextendsourpartnershipsandinfluence
    beyondtheUK,givingusatrulyworld-classreputationforhighqualityresearch.
    ippr,30-32SouthamptonStreet,LondonWC2E7RA.Tel:+44(0)2074706100E:info@ippr.org
    www.ippr.org.RegisteredCharityNo.800065

    ThispaperwasfirstpublishedinJanuary2010.©ippr2010

    Abouttheauthors

    SimonFanshaweisabroadcaster,writerandaward-winningcomedian.Heisaleading
    championofdiversityandhasbeenactiveingayrightsfor30years.SimonistheChairof
    theCounciloftheUniversityofSussexandsitsonseveralBoardsoforganisationsinthe
    privateandthirdsectors.
    DhananjayanSriskandarajahhas,sinceJanuary2009,beenDirectoroftheRoyal
    CommonwealthSociety.Between2004and2008hewasheadofthemigrationand
    equalitiesteam,and,latterly,DeputyDirectorattheInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch
    (ippr).Dannyhaswrittennumerousarticlesandreportsonmigration,economic
    development,inter-ethnicconflictanddiversity.

    Authors’acknowledgements

    Wearegratefulforthetimegiventousbytheintervieweesandparticipantsinthe
    discussiongroupsforthisproject.WearealsogratefultoRickMuir,ippr,NaomiPollardand
    LauraRivkin,formerlyatippr,andKevinMcLeanandcolleaguesatWardleMcLeanfortheir
    assistanceinconductingtheresearchthatunderpinsthisreport.GeorginaKyriacouatippr
    editedandformattedthereport.
    InitialfundingforthisprojectwasprovidedbytheEqualityandHumanRightsCommission.
    However,theviewsexpressedinthispaperarethoseoftheauthorsaloneanddonot
    necessarilyreflecttheviewsorpolicypositionsofippr,theEqualitiesandHumanRights
    CommissionortheRoyalCommonwealthSociety.
    4 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Foreword

    Thispaperwaswrittenin2009astheEqualityBill1 wastakingshape.Itaimstobea
    constructivecontributiontotheconsultationaroundtheBillaswellasaprovocative
    contributiontothedebatearoundequalities.Wearekeenthatthosewhowishtoworkfora
    moreequalBritain,celebratethediversityofourcountriesmorepositivelyandfight
    discrimination,continuetopursuetheagendasthathaveachievedagreatdealoverthelast
    decade.Butwewantthemtoworkdifferently.
    Weemphasisethatthereneedstobesomeconcertedefforttocounterpersistentbiasasit
    affectssomegroupsinsociety,symbolisedbywhathavecometobereferredtoasthe
    ‘protectedstrands’.However,wenowhaveanopportunitytoreframeourthinkingaboutthe
    significanceofthe‘strands’andthustoreshapethedeliveryofservicesbypublicbodies.
    Thispapercallsforanewanalysisofsocialproblemsandthusthewayswetrytosolvethem.
    Itdoesnotsuggesttheendofourfocusongroupidentity,butitdoesseektobanishthe
    tick-box.
    ThenewEqualityBillseekstoeliminatediscrimination,advanceequalityofopportunity,and
    fostergoodrelations.Anditstatestheneedforpublicauthoritiestohave‘dueregard’tothe
    needsofparticularequalitiesstrandsorgroups,whileaddinggenderreassignment,
    marriage/civilpartnershipsandpregnancy/maternitytothesixstrandscurrentlyenshrinedin
    law.Whilethesearesensiblestepsinthejourneytowardsbetterequalitiespolicy,we
    questionwhetherthisstrand-basedframeworkisaseffectiveasweneedittobe.For
    example,bydemonstratingdueregardacrossninestrands,apublicauthoritycanonlyshow
    broadcompliance.Itwillnot,throughsuchamechanism,demonstraterealresponsivenessto
    theparticularcompositionanddynamicofanylocalpopulation,northenuancedneedof
    theindividualswithinit.
    Thispaperarguesthatweneedtosharpenouranalysis,thinkharderaboutrepresentationof
    thosepeoplewearetryingtohelp,getbetteratfosteringaspirationratherthancondemning
    peopletothetyrannyoflowaspirations,andgetsmarterattreatingpeopleasindividuals
    andnotjustaspartofagroup.Weseektoreinforcetheneedforthisworkbuttodismantle
    thecurrentlimitationsinthewaythatworkisexecuted.
    SimonFanshaweandDhananjayanSriskandarajah

    1.TheEqualityBillwasintroducedintheHouseofCommonson24April2009.
    5 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    1.Introduction

    ThispaperattemptstomapoutjusthowdiverseBritainis,bothintermsofwholivesin
    Britainandhowtheyidentifythemselves.Weexplorehowdiscriminationanddisadvantage
    donotmapeasilyontoorthodox‘strand-based’frameworks(seebelow)andassessthe
    shortcomingsofcurrentapproachestounderstandingandtacklingdiscriminationand
    disadvantage.Whileweaimforthistobeapaperthatprovokesratherthananswers
    questions,weconcludewithsomeimplicationsweseeforpolicymakers,datacollectorsand
    others.
    Britainisnotonlymorediversethaneverbeforebutthatdiversityitselfisgrowingmore
    diverse.Today,identitiesaremorecomplexandfluidthantheyusedtobe,reflectingshifting
    interestsandallegiances.Forthoseofusinterestedinequality,thisnewsituationpresents
    somedifficultchallenges.Whileinequalityanddiscriminationmanifestthemselvesalongall-
    too-familiarlines(forexample,racialorsexualityminoritiesremaintargetsofmuch
    discrimination),identity-basedcampaignsseemdated.
    Inanageofsuper-diversity,wherepeopledonotidentifyaroundsingleidentitiesandfeel
    conflictedallegiance(ifanyallegianceatall)topre-definedgroups,activismaround
    particular‘strands’seemsirrelevanttomanypeopleandmaynotevenbethateffectivein
    addressingthetruecausesofinequality.Eventheverycategorisationsthatweoftenrelyon
    (forexample‘black’,‘Asian’,‘gay’or‘disabled’)nolongerseemtobeabletotellusmuch
    aboutwhopeopleare,whatlivestheylead,whotheyidentifywithorwhatservicesthey
    needfromgovernmentandsociety.Andthetick-boxapproachtoidentityseemstobe
    missingoutongrowingnumbersofpeoplewhofalloutsideoracrossstandardclassifications,
    assomeofourintervieweestoldus.
    Thispaperexplorestheseissuesandchallenges,inordertoprovokeausefuldiscussion
    abouthowpoliciesandpracticearoundequalitiescanbetterrespondtoourcontemporary
    super-diversityandthenewpoliticsofidentitythatitbrings.

    Background
    ThetwoofusmetontheDiversityBoardofPlacesforPeople,alargeandinnovative
    housingassociationandproperty-developer.ThetaskofthatBoardistodebatewhatthe
    organisation’smission,‘Creatingneighbourhoodsofchoice’,meansinrelationtothe
    diversityoftheorganisation’sactualandpotentialcustomers.Itclearlydidnotmean,to
    caricatureitwildlyasoneofuswasprovokedtodoearlyinthedebates,‘puttingamosque
    herefortheMuslimsandadiscooverthereforthegays’.
    Itbecameclearthattodeliverapublicservicethatwillbetakenup,bepopularandwillmeet
    anindividual’sneedsrequiresacombinationofculturalandsub-culturalsensitivity(not
    assumingeveryoneisstraightormarried,forinstance)combinedwitharecognitionofan
    individual’sparticularneeds(notassumingthatsomeonewithlearningdifficultieswouldnot
    wantorbeabletodrive).Diversityandequalityalsomeanthatweneededtolookacross all
    groupsofresidents,notjustthosewithinthe‘strands’,andaskquestionsaboutservice
    quality.
    InconversationsonthefringesofBoardmeetings,wediscoveredthat,inadditiontoour
    shareddistasteforsimplisticresponsestodiversity,wehadbothdevelopedsimilar
    observationsaboutequalityanddiversityintheUK.Wesharedagrowingconcernthatmany
    oftheissuesandcampaignsthatwesawwithinourownareasofexpertiseandexperience
    6 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    (gayissuesforSimonandraceandimmigrationissuesforDanny)seemedalittledatedand
    outoftouch.Webothsensedthatyoungpeoplewereidentifyingwithdifferentissuesand
    mobilisingindifferentwaysthanthosewholedsocialmovementsaroundrace,sexuality,
    genderandsoonwereawareof.Wewerebothalsofrustratedbythefactthat,despitethe
    creationoftheEqualitiesandHumanRightsCommission,westillsawalotofflag-wavingby
    various‘strands’callingforgreaterattentiontotheirownissue.
    Asoneexpertweinterviewedtoldus:
    Ithinkoneoftheoutcomesofthewaythatlocalpoliticshasbeen
    played…andtoacertainextentnationalpolitics…istoencourage
    specialinterestgroupstosortofpitagainsteachotherinaway,even
    intermsofcompetingforfundingfromlocalauthorities.Soifyou’re
    lookingforfundingyoucandothatthroughbeingaSikhorganisation
    oraMuslimorganisation...insomewaysthoselineshavebecome
    muchmorerigidanddelineatedthanpreviously.
    Finally,wealsosensedanimportantmomentinbringingabouta‘post-strand’principleand
    frameworkthatcouldguideequalitypoliciesandpracticeinthe21stcentury.Allthiswas
    broughthomewhenwerealisedhowfrustratingitwasthatdespiteallthisprogressin
    understandingandpromotingdiversity,Keeran,Danny’sson(borninBritaintoaSriLankan-
    bornAustralianfatherandaAfro-Trinidadianmother)doesnothaveaboxtotickinthe
    Census(seeBox1)oranyotheradministrativeforms.Keeranandthe6000orsoother
    peopleofmixedAsianandBlackheritageintheUKhavetotickthe‘Other’box,a
    dispassionaterejectionflowingfromtheratherbizarrerecognitionofonlyasetnumberof
    ethniccategories.
    Aboveall,ourconversationsledustoasharedfrustrationofhowthe‘tick-box’approachto
    categorisingpeopleisunwieldy,becauseitistoogeneralised,andoftenmeaningless.Ithas
    nofingeronthepulseofhowlifeisactuallylived,whetheritisaboutsexuality,ethnicityor
    anyotherformofcapturingdiversity.

    Box1.Boxedin:howthe2001Censuscapturedethnicity
    Whatisyourethnicgroup?
    ChooseONEsectionfromAtoE,thenticktheappropriateboxtoindicateyourculturalbackground.
    AWhite
    British Irish AnyotherWhitebackground(pleasewritein)
    BMixed
    WhiteandBlackCaribbean WhiteandBlackAfrican WhiteandAsian
    AnyotherMixedbackground(pleasewritein)
    CAsianorAsianBritish
    Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi AnyotherAsianbackground(pleasewritein)
    DBlackorBlackBritish
    Caribbean African AnyotherBlackbackground(pleasewritein)
    EChineseorotherethnicgroup
    Chinese Anyother(pleasewritein)
    Source:Census2001–OfficeforNationalStatistics
    7 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Thispaperisourattempttothinkthroughsomeoftheseissuesandhelppolicymakers(and
    datacollectors)tounderstandcontemporaryidentityandidentitypoliticsintheUK.

    Thestrand-basedapproach
    Britainhasbeenhavingalongliberalmomentsincethatweedybuthighlysignificant
    characterinthestory,thefirstRaceRelationsActin1965,signifiedouraspirationto
    dismantleprejudiceagainstminorities.Thelawandtheframeworkfortheargumentsagainst
    prejudiceanddiscriminationeversincehavebeenbasedonwhatwenowcallthesix
    ‘strands’:
    • Gender
    • Race
    • Disability
    • Sexuality
    • Faithandbelief
    • Age.
    Groupidentityhasbeenatthecoreofthisapproach.Attemptshavebeenmadetotackle
    disadvantageinwaysbasedonthenotionthatthemembersofthesegroupsareall
    disadvantaged,thattheirlifechancesandopportunitiesareoverwhelminglyaffectedbytheir
    race,age,sexualityandsoon.
    Thispapercomesfromthestandpointthatthisisclearlynottrueanymore.Discrimination
    mightbeaneverydayevent,butitisnolongeranall-dayevent.Wecancelebrateprogress.
    Andbuildingonit,thereshouldbethreewideraimsforthefuture:torecogniseandharness
    diversity,createequalityandchallengediscrimination.Sothequestionwillbewhether
    Britaincannowgoforwardwithanapproachthatmorecloselymatchestheexperienceof
    people’sday-to-daylivesandachievementsandrespondstotheirmorecomplexfeelingsof
    identityaswellasdealingwiththeirexperienceofprejudice.Thisapproachwillalsoenable
    government,localauthoritiesandotherstofocusonwherethereisrealdisadvantageand
    notjustfiremoneyviathestrandsinthegeneraldirectionofissuesinthehopethatsomeof
    itfindsitstargetandsolvestheproblem.
    Inallspheresofpublicandprivatelifeinthelastdecadetherehavebeenscoresofexamples
    whereopportunitieshaveopenedupandthereareverysignificantachievementsbywhat
    SouthAfricanswouldcallPreviouslyDisadvantagedIndividuals.Systematicpoliticalblackmail
    hasgivenwaytogaycabinetMinisters,peoplewithdisabilitiesandlearningdifficultiesare
    livingindependentlivesinawaythatwouldhavebeenunimaginablejust10or15years
    ago,andtherearesignificantnumbersofblackandAsianactors,peersandpeoplein
    business,atalllevels.

    Identity
    Sohowhomogeneous(andequallydisadvantaged)arethemembersofthosegroupsnow
    aftersomanyyearsofpalpableprogressincertainareas?Wehavechosentoaskthis
    questionthroughtheprismofidentity.Plainlyput,howmuchdoesittellyouabout
    somebodytoknowtheyare‘black’,‘disabled’,‘gay’andsoon?Howmuchdoesithelpin
    tailoringpublicservicestotheirindividualneed?Howmuchdoesittellaprivatesector
    companydesigningaproductabouttheirconsumerhabits?HowmuchwillthebaldCensus
    datatellusabouttherealityofourpopulation?Perhapsonlythat(settingasidetheJedi)we
    havemillionsofpeoplewhoaresimplydesignated‘other’becausetheydonotfitthe
    bureaucraticcategoriesofidentity.
    8 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Anddopeoplefeelenthralledbytheirgroupdescriptionorlimitedbyit?Istherea
    differencewhentheyuseitthemselvesandwhenitisusedbypublicbodiestolabelthem?
    Anexpertweinterviewedasked:
    Canapersononawelfare-to-workschemebebothdisabledandold?
    Ordisabledandfromaminorityethniccommunity?Oraretheyforced
    tochoosebetweentheseadministrativecategories,therebydenying
    criticallyimportantaspectsoftheiridentitywhichareinfluencingtheir
    employmentprospects?
    Inthispaper,weasktowhatextentananalysisbasedongroupsisnowadequateforthe
    task.Wewanttosuggestthattheyareaninsufficienttoolinthecontextofasociety
    characterisedbysuper-diversityandmuchmorecomplexpersonalidentitiesthatarealso
    morepubliclyexpressed.
    Webelievethatamoresophisticatedapproachwill(a)moreaccuratelypromotediversity,(b)
    helptoachieveequalityand(c)counterdiscrimination.Weneedtounderstandwhenandin
    whatcircumstancesitmakessensetoconsidersomeoneaspartofagroup;whentheir
    individualidentityandneedsandaspirationstranscendthat;andthirdlyweneedtolookat
    thedatafromanycommunityororganisationandask,‘whoisreallydisadvantagedhere?’
    Therearemomentswhengroupexperienceandidentityareindeedthedominantforcesin
    people’slives.Whenwearediscriminatedagainst,whateverthemulti-layeredexperiencewe
    mayhaveofourownidentityinlife,weknowwearepartofthatgroup.Thisisthefist-in-
    the-facemoment.Prejudiceissounintelligentthatitseesusasallthesame.Andwe
    respondinkind.AsHannahArendt(2003:47)wrote:
    OnetruththatisunfamiliartotheJewishpeople…isthatyoucanonly
    defendyourselfasthepersonyouareattackedas.Apersonattackedas
    aJewcannotdefendhimselfasanEnglishmanoraFrenchman.The
    worldwouldonlyconcludethatheissimplynotdefendinghimselfatall.
    Soattheoutsetwewouldwanttoreaffirmthatinequalityclearlyremainsablotonour
    societyandthatcertaingroupsofpeopleappeartosuffermoregreatlyfrominequalitythan
    othersincertaincontexts.Thereisclearlypersistentbias.Thispapersimplyaskswhetherwe
    arebeingascleverasweshouldbeinidentifyingandtacklingtheinequalityand
    discriminationthatexistsinBritishsociety.
    Prejudiceisalmostalwaysbasedoncruelreductionism;humanbeingsaresqueezedinto
    rigidstereotypes.Thoughwellintentioned,theorthodoxtick-boxapproachtoequalitiesalso
    risksreductionism.Initscrudestapplications,diversityandequalitypoliciesstopseeing
    peopleforwhotheyareandstartseeingtheminsteadascategoriesor,worsestill,
    contributorstoquotas.
    Wemustnotletthenotionofgroupdisadvantageblindustopeople’spotentialand
    condemnthemtoatyrannyoflowexpectations.In1990inEastLondonagroupof
    concernedparentsopenedtheKeenStudentsSchoolbecausetheywereconcernedabout
    theunderachievementofchildreninschoolsintheirBorough.Curiously,itbecameclearthat
    theverysamekidswhoweredisruptiveandwouldnotlearnatschoolthenvolunteeredto
    comeafterschoolandlearn.Oneofthefoundersarguesthat‘it’sprettymuchdownto
    expectation’:theteachersappearedtobemakingassumptionsfromtheirbackgroundabout
    thelevelofthestudents’potential,particularlytheblackandAsianchildren.
    [InKSS]theyareexpectedtolearn.Insomeofthelocalschools
    teachershaveexpectationsofthekidstheywouldn’tdreamofhaving
    9 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    oftheirownchildren.Theymeanwell.Theythinkthey’vehadahard
    timeandit’sdifficultforthemtolearn.Butifyouthinkaboutit,it’s
    racist.Notdirectly.Butifyouanalyseit,theendresultisthatthechild
    isfailing.
    Recognisingindividualidentityisfelttobeasignificantfactorinpeoplerealisingtheirown
    potential.Onedisabilityactivistweinterviewedsaid:
    So–ontheonehandIstillsay‘Iamdisabled’asasortofpolitical
    identifyingstatementtotheworld.Inotherwords–you’dbettertreat
    meequally,withrespectandhavemyneedsaccessedinanequaland
    fairway–butontheotherhandthat’sawfulandIjustwanttobea
    personwithadiverseexperienceoftheworld.
    Whendesigninganddeliveringpublicservicesthisdualitybecomescrucialandwasoneof
    themainimpetusesforwritingthispaper.Andidentitybecameourlensbecauseitreflects
    thecomplexrealityofBritishsociety.Itrecognisesboththesharedidentityofthegroupand
    thefeltidentityoftheindividual.
    ThecomplexityofwhatisgoingonintermsofidentityincontemporaryBritainisstaggering.
    Ifwetake,forexample,oneofthemostimportantbutleastwell-understoodaspectsof
    identityatthemoment–whatitmeanstobeMusliminthiscountry–itseemsweruna
    seriousriskofsimplifyingthings.
    MakingsimplisticassumptionsaboutwhoidentifiesasaMuslimorwhytheydosois
    dangerous.OnerecentreportonengagingwithMuslimyouthhighlightsthecomplexityof
    identityformationandexpressionwithinspecificcommunitiesofyoungMuslims(Forward
    Thinking2008).NotonlyaremostyoungMuslimspreoccupiedwiththesameconcernsas
    otherBritishyouth(forexamplegettingonthepropertyladder,jobstability,educational
    attainment)andareworriedbyuniversalconcernsaboutparentalexpectations,buttheyalso
    have‘astrongdesiretodefinetheirowndistinctsenseofbelongingandidentitywhich
    acceptsmultipleidentitiesandengageswithbeingpartofBritishsociety’.
    AyoungMuslimwomanweinterviewedatarecentconferencegivesaglimpseofhow
    complexcontemporaryidentityisamonghijab-wearingyoungMuslimwomen,agroup
    aboutwhichmanypeoplewouldhavesomefirmassumptions.Shewaswearingapinkhijab,
    awhitejacket,matchingpinkskirtandrubyslippers,andSimonsaidtoher,‘IfIwas
    interviewingyouontheradioandtoldtheaudienceyouwerewearingahijab,theywouldn’t
    seewhatIamseeing.’Sheresponded:
    Yes,meandmymatescalledourselvesthe‘hijabi-Barbies’.IthinkI
    havemorehijabsthanknickers.SometimesIthinkthat’sgoingagainst
    whatIamsaying.ButIdon’tclaimtobeaperfectMuslim.Irationalise
    thatIamlivinginawesterncountry,sodoinRomeandallthat.It’s
    mywayofbridgingthegap.Thiskindofmeldinghasbeengoingon
    forcenturieswithMuslims.
    Ouraiminthispaperistoprovokeadiscussionaboutwhethertheorthodoxapproachto
    identityandequalitiesissufficienttoaddresstherealinequalitythatexistsinBritishsociety.
    ItplugsintothemoodsandmodesofyoungBritons.Althoughwedonottrytocomeup
    withdetailedpolicyprescriptions,ourthoughtsaredesignedtohelppublicbodiesintheUK
    recogniseandharnessdiversity,createequalityandchallengediscriminationinawaybased
    onthenewrealityofBritainandinaformthatwillbemoreeffectivethanrelyingonold
    understandings.
    10 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Researchmethodology
    Thisisnotapaperinformedbyextensiveresearch:itisbasedonyearsofourown
    experiencesasactivistsandstudentsofidentitypolitics,andourobservationsaboutthe
    changesweseearoundus.Nevertheless,togroundsomeoftheseexperiencesand
    observations,wereviewedrecentacademicliteratureon,andjournalisticcoverageof,the
    issuesthatinterestedus,andwealsoconductedsomeprimaryresearch.
    Werandiscussiongroupswithyoungpeopleofdifferentbackgroundstoexplorehow
    identityisconstructedandexpressed.TwogroupswereheldinLondonandoneinHove,
    EastSussex,inMarch2009.Allofthegroupsweremadeupofmembersofthepublicwho
    were‘politicallyengaged’–forexample,thosewhoareinterestedinpoliticsortakepartin
    someformofpoliticalactivity.ScreenerquestionsdrawnfromtheHansardSociety’sAuditof
    PoliticalEngagement(HansardSociety2008)wereusedtoensurethatallparticipantswere
    atleastmoderatelypoliticallyengaged.Itwasthusexpectedthatallparticipantsinour
    groupwouldhavesomebasiclevelofawarenessofpoliticsandhadagoodchanceofhaving
    someformofpoliticalidentity.
    Groupsweremixedsex,mostlyagedunder35andincludedethnicminorities,peoplefrom
    differentregionalandsocialbackgrounds,andgayandlesbianpeople.Itwasnotour
    intentiontorepresenteachandalloftheidentity‘strands’insuchasmallpieceof
    qualitativeresearch.Ratherweaimedtoexploreidentity-relatedissueswitharangeof
    politically-engagedyoungBritons.
    Byusinginnovativemethodsto‘map’importantaspectsofidentity,wewereabletoexplore
    howyoungBritonsexpressandconstructtheirownidentityandothers’identitiesintoday’s
    society.Wewerealsoabletointerrogatehowidentitypoliticsisevolvingamongtheyounger
    generation,especiallyinreactiontocontemporaryformsofperceivedprejudiceand
    discrimination.
    Wealsoconductedinterviewswith15keypeoplewhohavebeeninvolvedwithequalities
    campaignsinrecentdecades.Afulllistofintervieweescanbefoundattheendofthis
    paper.Byaskingeachofthemtoreflectonhowthingshavechanged(ornot)withregardto
    theirissuesofconcernandhowtheymobilisearoundthem,wehopedtounderstandhow
    thepoliticsofidentityisevolving.
    11 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    2.Super-diverseBritain
    Britainismorediversethaneverbefore.Wesaythisnotbecausewewanttoquotesomeglib
    statisticabouthowmanylanguagesarespokeninLondon(300-plusatlastcount,bythe
    way),butbecauseincreasingdiversitycallsintoquestionsomeoftheorthodoxassumptions
    thatourequalitiesframeworksbuildon.WebelievethatBritainis‘super-diverse’notonly
    becauseoftheincreasinglydiversemake-upofthepopulation(asaresult,forexample,of
    increasinglydiverseimmigrantflows;seeVertovec2006)butalsobecauseallBritons,
    especiallyyoungerones,areexpressingtheiridentitiesmoreandmoreways.
    Webelievethatthissuper-diversitypresentsafundamentalchallengetothewaywe
    categorisepeople.Andifthegroupingsthatweoftenuse(black,Christian,gay,andsoon)
    toidentifypeoplewhoaredisadvantagedorbeingdiscriminatedagainstarenotsound,then
    thewholeprocessofpromotingequalityisundermined.

    Ethnicgroups
    Agoodplacetostartiswiththecategorisationofethnicgroups.Thereare,ofcourse,valid
    reasonswhyweshouldcollectinformationonethnicitybutwebelievethatcategorisingthe
    entirepopulationinjust16orsogroupingshidesmorethanitreveals.
    Ethniccategoriessuchas‘blackAfrican’hidesuchhugedifferencesthatitbegsthequestion
    ofwhythegroupingisevenusefulevenatthemostbasiclevel.Ifyoudividethisgroupby
    countryofbirth,youseethatthedifferencesbetweenconstituentgroupsarestaggering.For
    example,overallsome66percentofblackAfrican-bornpeopleintheUKwereemployedin
    2005/06butGhanaian-bornandNigerian-bornpeoplehadanemploymentrateof80and
    76percentrespectivelywhileSomalia-bornpeoplehadarateofaround20percent
    (Sriskandarajahetal2007).KnowingtheoverallblackAfricanemploymentratewouldtell
    oneverylittleaboutwhatwasgoingoninSomali-bornorGhanaian-borncommunities.
    Thisisnottosaythatusingaperson’scountryofbirthisagoodorbetterwayof
    categorisingpeople.Wheretheycamefrommayalsonottellusverymuch.Withinany
    particulargroupfromagivencountry,therearelikelytobedistinctionsaroundethnicity,
    religiousaffiliationandpractice,language,regionalandlocalidentitiesinplacesoforigin,
    kinship,clanaffiliation,politicalaffiliations,andothercriteriaofcollectivebelonging
    (Vertovec2006).Indeed,itwouldseemfoolishto,say,treatallSriLankan-bornpeopleasif
    theywereameaningfulwholegiventheimportanceofethnic,religious,linguisticand
    regionaldifferencestothatnationality.
    Evenifwetaketheethnicgroupingsatfacevalue,westillfindthatthereareimportant
    trendsthatwillmeanthatmoreandmorepeoplewillfallbetweenthecrudeclassifications.
    Thequestionofhowtoclassifypeopleof‘mixed’ethnicheritagehasnaggeddatacollectors
    fordecades.Onlyin1991was‘mixed’evenintroducedasaCensuscategory(beforethisit
    wasassumedthatpeoplewouldtickaboxrelatingtooneoftheirparents’orancestors’
    category)andonlyin2001wasitbroadenedouttoincludedifferenttypesofmixing.Yet,
    giventhegrowthinthenumbersofmixedpeople,particularlyamongtheyounger
    generation,wewillseeasubstantialgrowthintheproportionofBritonswhoare‘mixed’(see
    Table1below).
    AsatthelastCensusaround9percentofchildrenwerelivinginfamiliesthatcontained
    mixedormultipleethnicheritages(Platt2009).Yetsocietyseemstotreatethnicidentitiesas
    iftheyareclearlybounded,staticandmeaningful,andpublicbodiesinsistonatick-box
    classificationofethnicity.
    12 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Table1.Britain’sgrowingethnicdiversity,variousyears(%)
    1991 2001 2008 2008 2020
    (allpop.) (allpop.) (allpop.) (under16) (under16)
    White 94.1 91.3 89.9 80.9 84.4
    Mixed n/a 1.3 1.1 2.8 5.0
    Asian 3.3 4.4 4.9 7.2 7.8
    Black 1.9 2.2 2.3 3.6 2.9
    Chinese 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3
    1.4
    Other 0.6 0.4 1.4 1.7
    Source:1991and2001dataareforEnglandandWalesandfromCensuses;2008dataarefor
    England,WalesandScotlandfromPlatt(2009);2020projectionsareforUKandfromRees(2006)

    Religion
    Ifwetakereligion,thetick-boxapproachseemsevenmoreflawed.Whilesomeone
    specifyingtheirethnicbackgroundonaformislikelytohavegoodreasonbehindtheir
    choice,thelinkbetweensomeonetickingaboxaboutwhichreligiontheybelongtoand
    actualpracticeisfarmoretenuous.Partofthisisbecauseofthesignificantdeclineinthe
    proportionofpeoplewhoactuallypractiseareligiontoday.Only20percentofpeoplein
    EnglandandWalessaidtheybelongedtonoreligionordidnotstateoneontheirCensus
    formsin2001.YetweknowthatroughlyathirdofpeopleinBritainattendreligiousservices,
    athirdsaytheybelongtoareligionbutneverattendservicesandathirddonotbelongto
    anyreligion(seeFigure1).

    Figure1.
    Religious 80% Belongs to a
    affiliation, 70% religion,
    1964–2005 60% attends
    Source:British 50% services
    Belongs to
    ElectionStudies, 40% religion, never
    reproducedfrom
    30% attends
    Heathetal2007:9
    20% services
    Does not
    10%
    belong
    0%
    1964 1970 1983 1992 2005
    Year

    Justlikeethniccategorisation,religiousgroupingsarecomplicatedfurtherifwestartlooking
    attheoriginsofeachcommunity.BritishMuslimsforexampleareprobablyoneofthemost
    heterogeneousbodyofbelieversintermsofethnicityandcountryoforigin.Accordingtothe
    2001Census,the1.6millionMuslimsinBritainaredividedintoPakistani(43percent),
    Bangladeshi(17percent),Indian(9percent),White(11percent),andBlack(6percent)
    descent(leavingsignificant‘other’and‘mixed’categories).Givenhowimportantthe
    differencesarebetweenforexampleSunniandShi’aMuslims,itseemsincrediblethatpeople
    talkof‘theMuslimcommunity’inBritain.
    Thingsgetevenmorecomplicatedifwelookatreligious‘mixing’.Aroundoneineight
    couplesinBritainincludestwopeopleofdifferentreligiousaffiliation.Amongmen,thisrate
    ofreligiousmixingvariesfrom5percentofChristianmen,toaround10percentofHindu,
    13 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    SikhandMuslimmen,toathirdofJewishmenandover40percentofmenwithnoreligion
    andBuddhistmen.Amongwomenthisraterangesfrom3percentofMuslimwomen,to
    Sikh,HinduandChristianwomenataroundseventoninepercent,to24percentforthose
    withnoreligiousaffiliation,30percentofJewishwomen,andnearlytwo-thirdsofBuddhist
    women(Platt2009).

    Recentimmigration
    Oneofthemaindriversofincreasingdiversityhasbeenrecentimmigration.Thearrivalof
    relativelylargenumbersofpeoplefrompartsoftheworldthathadnothithertosent
    largenumbersofimmigrantstoBritainhasmadethepicturemuchmorecomplex.
    WhileBritainhasalwaysattractedimmigrantsfromarangeofcountries(Winder2004),
    thelastdecadehasseenincreasingdiversityamongnewcomers.In2007,therewerean
    estimated35country-of-origingroupsthathadmorethan40,000peoplelivinginthe
    UK,fivemorethanin2002and12morethanin1997.Itisalsointerestingthatsome
    country-of-origingroups,notablythePolish-born,haveseenlargeincreasesinthelast
    fiveyears.Poleswentfrombeingthe13thbiggestforeign-borngroupinearly2004,
    beforePolandbecameamemberoftheEuropeanUnionandPoleswereallowedtotravel
    toandworkfreelyintheUK,tothebiggestforeign-borngroupfouryearslater(Pollard
    etal2008).
    Onesignificantconsequencefortheargumenthereisthat,withsuchrapidchangesinthe
    patternsofpopulationchange,weneedtorecogniseinthiscenturymorethaneverbefore
    thatwhatdiversitylookslikein–forexample–Leicesterisverydifferentfromwhatitlooks
    likeinBrightonorNorwichorNewcastle.InLeicesterdiversitymightflowmorefrom
    ethnicityandfaith,inBrightonitwouldhavetoembracetheveryvisiblelesbianandgay
    population.Theneedforcarefulanalysisofexactlywhatthediversepopulationislikeinany
    town,cityorruralareabecomesmoreacuteinthepursuitofeffectivesocialpolicy.
    Furthermorefromanequalitiesperspective,thearrivalofsuchlargenumbersofwhite
    EuropeanChristianimmigrantsinrecentyearshasalsochallengedsomeoftheusual
    assumptionsarounddiscriminationintheUK.Onpaper,thesearepeoplewhoshouldhave
    littletroublefittingintoBritishsociety.Yet,despitenotfallingsquarelyintoanyoneofthe
    strands,weknowthatmanyrecentimmigrantsarebeingdiscriminatedagainst(see,for
    example,Spenceretal2007).
    Recentincreasesinimmigrationhavealsohadanimpactontheproportionofpeopleinthe
    UKwhohavebeenhereforrelativelyshortperiodsoftime.Itisestimatedthataboutathird
    ofallforeign-bornpeoplecurrentlyintheUK–around2millionpeople–havebeenherefor
    fiveyearsorless.Aroundhalfhavebeenherefor10yearsorless.Whileafifthofimmigrants
    in1997hadarrivedwithinthepreviousfiveyearperiod,thisproportionhadincreasedtoa
    quarterin2002andstandscurrentlyatathird.Attheotherendofthespectrum,the
    proportionofimmigrantswhohadbeenintheUKfor20yearsormorefellfromarounda
    halfin1997toathirdin2007.
    Thisrisingsuper-mobilityalsohasimportantimplicationsforhoweasyitwillbetocount
    peoplewhoarehere,letalonetakingintoaccountwhattheirpresencemeansforthe
    equalitieschallenge(Rutteretal2008).Immigrationandsuper-mobilityaddalayerof
    complexitytothatchallenge,theimpactofwhichhasyettobegraspedfully.Many
    immigrantsareamongthemostdiscriminatedagainstandvulnerableinsocietybut,oftenby
    dintoftheirimmigrationstatus,theymaybebeneaththeradarandthereforeaffordedfew
    oftheequalitiesprotectionsthatcitizenshave.
    14 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Implicationsforotherkindsofdiversity–disabilityandsexuality
    Whatisnowcalled‘disability’haswidenedinconceptconsiderablyinrecentyears.Therehas
    beenagrowingawarenessofthediversityofdisabledpeople,reflectedinthenowvery
    broaddefinitionofdisabilityintheDisabilityDiscriminationAct.Theactembracesnotjust
    thoseareashistoricallyassociatedwithdisability,butnowalsoincludeslong-termhealth
    conditionssuchascancerandHIV.
    Whathadbeenseparate,sidelinedmovementsofpeoplewithlearningdisabilities,mental
    healthconditions,andmorerecentlywithneurologicalconditions,arenowjoinedinthe
    mainstreamdisabilitymovement,wherealldemandbetterrecognition.
    Thisdiversityofpeoplelivingwithdisabilitiesdistancesthemevenmorefromthevalueof
    solutionstodowithrampsandrails.Theirrecognitiondemandsaworldthatwill
    automaticallyincludepeoplewiththewholerangeofphysicalandmentalabilities.
    Whenitcomestosexuality,youonlyhavetolookathowsocietyisreflectedintelevision
    dramas,programmeslikeSkins,torealisethat,albeitatthisstageonlymarginally,young
    peopleareextending,andexperimentingwith,theirsexualitywithoutnecessarilyfeelingthe
    needtoidentifyas‘gay’or‘lesbian’.
    The2000NationalSurveyofSexualAttitudesfoundasignificantincreaseintheproportions
    ofBritishmenandwomenclaimingtohaveeverhadahomosexualpartnerinthedecade
    sincethefirstsurveyin1990.Amongmenthisproportionincreasedfrom3.6percentin
    1990to5.4percentin2000.Amongwomenitincreasedfrom1.8percentto4.9percent
    (seePorter2007:141).Somethingisshifting.
    15 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    3.Newidentities

    NotonlyisBritainsuper-diverseinthewaysdescribedabovebutitisalsoincreasingly
    diversebecausepeopleseemmorewillingandablethaneverbeforetoexpressthatdiversity.
    Partofthereasonforthisisthatsomeofthetraditionalwaysinwhichpeoplecoalescedare
    nolongasrelevant.AsLucyStoneandRickMuirstatedinanipprpaperonidentity,‘As
    mostBritishpeoplehavebecomewealthierandgainedaccesstohigherlevelsofformal
    education,theircollectiveidentitieshaveweakened’(StoneandMuir2007).
    Thisweakeningseemstohaveoccurredaroundidentificationwithsocialclass,politicalparty
    andevennationalidentity(ibid).A2006studyfoundthat53percentofBritonsdescribe
    themselvesasworkingclass,and43percentasmiddleclass.Butthisresearchfoundthat
    theremaybeasmanyashalfamillionpeopleearningover£100,000ayearwhosaythey
    areworkingclass.Italsofoundthatalmostathirdofemployeesdoingprofessional,
    managerialandtechnicaljobsdefinethemselvesasworkingclass.Only1percentofpeople
    saidtheywereupperclass.Thecoherenceofthenotions‘workingclass’and‘middleclass’
    arebeingfatallystretched.
    Similarly,affiliationswithnationalidentitieshavefalleninrecentdecades.Mostindividualsin
    theUKidentifymoststronglywiththeirimmediatelocalityortowninpreferencetoa
    regional,nationalorglobalidentity.
    Finally,itseemsthatthedaysoflifelong
    supportforonepoliticalpartyarealsocoming
    Box2.Thediversityofself-
    toanend.Asthemajorpoliticalpartieslose
    identification
    theirdistinctivenessandsocialclassitselfgets Atthestartofourdiscussiongroupswe
    diluted,moreandmorepeopleareprepared askedparticipantstosummarisewho
    to(anddo)changetheirpartyaffiliationover theyareinnomorethanthreewords.
    particularpolicies. Here’swhatsomeofparticipantschose
    towritedown:
    Perhapsthemostimportantobservationfrom
    ourdiscussiongroupsinvolvingyoungpeople • Adolescent,female,environmentalist
    isthatthepropensityforswing-votingispart • Mum.British,young-middleaged
    ofawiderblurringofidentification.Fora • Warm,bright,funny
    start,whengiventhechance,ourparticipants • Female,English,28
    didnotalwaysconformtothesortsof • Hopeful,helpful,fortunate
    descriptorsthatweareusedtohearingin
    • Freelancer,north-Londoner,40-
    officialcontexts.So,ratherthan‘male,32, something
    Scottish’,peopletoldustheywere‘warm,
    • Black,maleand30
    bright,funny’;lessCensuscategory,more
    personalad(seeBox2). • Young,British,male
    • Daughter,friend,open
    Oneofthereasonsthatsomepeoplechose
    • Independent,artistic,abrasive
    nottousetheformertypeofidentification
    wasbecausetheysaidthiswas notpersonal • NorthernIrish,male,31
    tothem.Thesecategoriesweresobroadand • Creative,independent,female
    impersonalastoprecludeorhinderanysense • Teenage,independent,confused
    ofwhotheythoughttheywereasaunique • Mother,ambitious,chatty,Indian
    individual.Interestingly,whenweaskedthem • Moralistic,quirky,loyal
    atthestartofthegrouptodescribe
    16 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Box3.Self-identificationbeforeand
    afterourdiscussiongroups
    Before...
    “FEMALE
    “BLACK
    SINGLE
    MALE”
    BRITISH”

    After...
    “OXFORDEDUCATED
    “HUMANBEING
    FRENCHSPEAKING
    OPENTOALL”
    FOODLOVING
    WARM
    FUNNY”

    themselvesanddidsoagainattheend,theendproductwasevenlesslikelytoresemble
    officialcategories(seeBox3).
    Therewasbroadagreementthatsomeaspectsofone’sidentitywereinherited,orgiven,and
    otheraspectswerechosen.Thechosenaspectsofidentitywereimportantbutoften
    overlooked.Itwasveryimportanttoourparticipantsthattheiridentitywassomethingin
    whichtheyhadachoice andthatthatchoicewasafreechoice.
    Someelementsofyouridentityarefixed,forexamplewhereyouare
    from,thingsthatarepasseddowntoyoubutyouropinionsoryour
    beliefscanveryquicklychangedependingonyourexperiences.
    (Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Myattributesaremyattributes,whereasmillionsofotherpeoplefit
    withinotheridentitycategories.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Whenpeopletalkedabout‘whotheyare’,itwasoftenassomeonewithcertainbeliefsor
    values.Thisslantontheiridentityismaybemoreabouthowtheyareintheworld,howthey
    operate,howtheyinteractwithpeople,whattheybelievein.Inotherwords,itwasmore
    aboutwhotheyarebeing,ratherthan whotheyare.
    We’regenerallyquitecomfortableaboutouridentities.It’sneverbeen
    anissueforme,about‘whoIam’.I’mcomfortablesayingthatI’m
    mixedrace,thisismyheritage,andthisiswhoIam.Iidentifymyself
    notjustfromaracialside,butintermsofwhatIdoandwhatI’ve
    achieved.(Expertinterview)
    Soitwasoftenmoreimportantforourparticipantstoidentifythemselvesintermsoftheirroles
    andvalues,includingpoliticalstance,ratherthanintermsof,say,thecountrytheywerefrom.
    Anotherversionofthiswastosaythatone’sidentitywas(literally)whatidentifiedthe
    person,asdistinctfromwhotheperson(really)was.So,identityasdefinedbytheusual
    categoriesor‘boxes’wasopposedto personalidentity.Ourdiscussiongroupparticipants
    simplydidnotlikebeingputintoboxes,evenboxesoftheirownchoosing–itwasasifthey
    weresaying,‘Iammorethanandbiggerthananyonecategory’;‘Iamnotanumber,Iama
    humanbeing’.
    17 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Ifindtheseformsveryimpersonal.WhiteBritish,BlackBritish–what
    doesthatmeanabouttheperson?(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Idon’tlikebeinginbiggroups.Idon’tneedtobedefinedbyit.Itdoes
    myheadin.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Personalitycharacteristicsorvaluesmayhavebeengivenascomponentsofidentitypartly
    becausepeoplechosetodefinethemselvesashavingthesecharacteristics,asopposedto
    beingconfinedtoinheritedorgivencharacteristics.Severaldiscussiongroupparticipantstold
    usthatitispossibleto‘be’severalthingsatonceandthat,whiletheremaybeinternal
    tensionsbetweenthesecategories,itispossibletonegotiatebetweencompeting
    componentsofone’sidentity.
    Manyofourgroupparticipantsresented‘strong’identifications.Itwasoftennotedthatthe
    questionofidentity,especiallywhenidentifyingoneselfwithagroup,wasessentially
    divisive,aboutseparationanddifferent-ness,whichencourageddiscriminationandprejudice.
    Similarly,whilemanyparticipantssaidthatvisibleexternalcharacteristicswereimportantto
    howpeopleareidentified,theyweremainlykeentomovebeyondthatkindofdefining.
    Ijustthinkidentityisthingsthatyoucanbeidentifiedby,blondhair,
    yourheightandthat…maybethat’sjustbecauseofmypolicejob.
    Identityisthatyoucansayyou’rewhite,fromthisagegroupetc
    [whereas]alotofthethingsthatyou’retalkingabout,lifeexperience
    etc,ispersonality.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Idojudgepeoplebyfirstimpressions,howpeoplecarrythemselves
    howtheytalkanddress…thenyougettoknowthemanddistinguish
    themdifferently.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    OurresearchsuggeststhatyoungBritonsinparticularseemnottocaremuchfortick-box
    approachestoidentity.Theideaofhavingasetnumberoffixed,broadcategoriesfor‘who
    theyare’seemsforeigntotheFacebookgeneration,whoareusedtochoosingandchanging
    ‘whotheyarebeing’.
    Ithinkthewholebringingyoungpeopletogetheraroundanissuevia
    theInternet,Facebookandallthatstuffisabsolutelyhugenowand
    thepotentialforitisenormous.Nowyoudon’thavetobelongto
    anything,youcansurfthenet...Soit’sverymuchmorefragmented
    andloose.(Expertinterview)
    Peoplehavemorethanoneidentity,theyhavemultipleidentitiesand
    multipleinterests.Withmoderntechnologythat’seasytoforgebecause
    youcanbelongtodifferentcommunitiesinanon-physicalwaythrough
    themiraclesoftechnology.Andyoungpeopleareveryhappytodo
    that.(Expertinterview)
    Itisalsoimportanttonotethattheexistenceofcategoriesonformsdoesnotnecessarily
    meanthatcommunitiesthatmatchthosecategoriesexistorshouldbetakenasbeing
    important.Ourresearchsuggeststhatyoungerpeoplemaybelesswillingtoacceptthatthe
    formerarejustifiedand/orthatthelatterarerelevanttotheirlives.
    18 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    4.Newtypesofpoliticalmobilisation

    Asecondsetofobservationsfromourdiscussiongroupswasaroundthegreaterpotential
    nowadaystoexpressandmobilisearounddifferentidentitiesorindeedissues.Therewas
    someagreementthatcontemporarypoliticsislessfocusedonidentityissuesandmoreabout
    causesthatcutacrosspopulationgroups.Issue-basedpoliticalactivism(forexample
    marchingagainsttheIraqWarorcampaigningonenvironmentissues)wasseentobethe
    mostimportantformofmobilisation.
    Thecurrentyoungergenerationcoalescesarounditsyouth,not
    identity.Whereasthelegacyof70sand80scivilrightsmovement
    campaignedforsexualequalityagainstthehomophobiclaws,for
    women’srights,theywereallpredicatedonidentity.Nowthemass
    movementsareaboutecology,anti-war...theyareaboutissues,not
    identity.(Expertinterview)
    Furthermore,ariseintheuseoftheinternet,e-mailandsocialmediahasopenedupnew
    waysofaccessingotherpeopleandmakingallianceswiththem.
    Itisinterestingtoconsiderhowsocialmediawillaffectthewayinwhichthenextgeneration
    expressthemselvesandtheiridentityandwhetherthisinturnwillaffecthowtheyengagein
    politicalandcommunityissues.
    Forexample,usersofsiteslikeFacebook–whoincludetheirphoto(oroneofsomethingor
    someoneelse)toidentifythemselves–canjoinorcreategroupsandtakepartinonline
    petitionsandcampaigns.Onlineactivitycantranslateinto‘offlineaction’,particularlyas
    mobilesocialmediausebecomesmorewidespread.
    You’vegottheblogs,theTwitters,youstarttoshareyouropinionsand
    peoplestarttocomeintoyour[reach]sothewholeideagrows.You
    canhavemoreofanimpactfromsomanydifferentsources.
    (Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Inonediscussiongroup,thefollowingexchangehappened:
    Firstparticipant: Doyouthinkwecanhavemoreinput,moreimpact
    nowsatatourPCsthanwecouldgoingoutonmarches?
    Secondparticipant: Maybenotbutyoucangetmorepeopledoingit
    becauseitissomucheasier...newmediaishavingahugeimpactin
    howpeoplecancoordinatethemselves.

    ‘Microtrends’
    TheseargumentsareakintothosemadebyMarkPenn,thePRguru,whoseworkon
    ‘microtrends’hasrevolutionisedthewaythatmarketersandpoliticiansseetheworld(Penn
    2007).Realisingthatthe‘one-size-fits-allapproachtotheworldisdead’,Pennsetabout
    demonstratinghowsmallergroupsofpeople,coalescingaroundidiosyncraticcharacteristicsor
    interestswereshapingthecontemporaryworldinwaysthatmegatrendswerenot.Hewrote:
    Today,changinglifestyles,theInternet,thebalkanizationof
    communications,andtheglobaleconomyareallcomingtogetherto
    createanewsenseofindividualismthatispowerfullytransformingour
    society.…Nomatterhowoffbeattheirchoices,theycannowfind
    100,000peopleormorewhosharetheirtastefordeepfriedyakona
    19 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    stick.Infact,bythetimeatrendhits1percent,itisreadytospawna
    hitmovie,best-sellingbook,ornewpoliticalmovement.…Withtherise
    infreedomofchoicehascomeariseinindividuality.Andwiththerise
    ofindividualityhascomeariseinthepowerofchoice.Themore
    choicespeoplehave,themoretheysegregatethemselvesintosmaller
    andsmallernichesinsociety.(Penn2007)
    Inmakingthiscomparison,wedonotmeantotrivialisethemorefundamentalformsof
    discriminationanddisadvantage.Thereisundeniablysomethingmoreimportantin
    mobilisingagainstracismthanformingaFacebookgroupdevotedtoyakonastick.Our
    pointisthatitiseasierthaneverbeforetoidentifyandthenmobilisearoundever-smaller
    issues,commonalitiesandcauses.
    Anothercomparisonwiththemicrotrendsargumentisthecallformorenuanced
    understandings.JustasPennhaspioneeredmoresophisticatedtrend-spottingthroughhis
    polling,wetooneedmoresophisticatedwaysofunderstandingidentityanddiscrimination.
    Italktoyoungerpeopleandtheidentitythingishuge.WhenIgrew
    up,wewereblack,white,Asianandweallmixed.ButnowItalktomy
    cousinsortoyoungpeopleandthey’vebrokenitdown,granulatedso
    much,itisnowpostcodeBritainandthatissad,andifyou’vegot
    youngerpeopletalking,you’dgetacompletelydifferentdescriptionof
    howweseeouridentities.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Socialmovementsbasedaroundidentitypoliticsaroseinthe1960sbecausewomenand
    minoritiesweremarginalisedvoicesorignoredinmainstreammedia,politics,andkeysocial
    institutionssuchastradesunions.Whilewehaveclearlynotgottoapointwhereallthe
    concernsofallthemarginalisedgroupshavebeenadequatelyaddressed,ourargumentis
    thatactionondiscriminationanddisadvantageneedstobemovebeyond1960s-style
    mobilisation.Ourresearchsuggeststhatanyattempttoelevateaparticularcharacteristicor
    aspectofidentitytotheforetostaythereforeverwillfeelalientoayoungergenerationof
    peoplewhoareunusedtothisformofmobilisation.

    LessonsfromObama?
    TherehavebeenmanythingssaidaboutBarackObama’svictoryintheAmerican
    Presidentialraceandwhatitmeansforracepoliticsinthatcountry.Wedonotwanttowade
    toodeeplyintothosediscussionsbutdothinkthereisatleastoneimportantimplicationof
    hisvictoryforthepointswearetryingtomake.WebelievethatObama’svictorysignalsa
    movingonfromthepost-waridentitypoliticsinWesterndemocracies.Bysuccessfully
    questioningthefundamentalassumptionsaroundidentitypolitics–thatourethnic,gender,
    sexualityorreligiousidentityshouldbeourmostimportantqualification,andthatour
    identitypredictswhatourpolicieswillbe–Obamahasopenedthedoortoanewformof
    politicalmobilisation.WhateverthemobilisationbytheRightsince,duringhiscampaignhe
    skilfullymanagedtoavoidbeingpushedintoaracialbox,saying,‘Despitethetemptationto
    viewmycandidacythroughapurelyraciallens…webuiltapowerfulcoalitionofAfrican
    AmericansandwhiteAmericans’.Evenwhenchallengedabouttheviewsofhispastor,
    JeremiahWright,Obamarefusedtoplayuphisrace,particularlyinhis‘AMorePerfect
    Union’speechdeliveredon18March2008:
    …[W]e’veheardmyformerpastor,ReverendJeremiahWright,use
    incendiarylanguagetoexpressviewsthathavethepotentialnotonlyto
    widentheracialdivide,butviewsthatdenigrateboththegreatnessand
    thegoodnessofournation;thatrightlyoffendwhiteandblackalike.
    20 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Assuch,ReverendWright’scommentswerenotonlywrongbutdivisive,
    divisiveatatimewhenweneedunity;raciallychargedatatimewhen
    weneedtocometogethertosolveasetofmonumentalproblems–
    twowars,aterroristthreat,afallingeconomy,achronichealthcare
    crisisandpotentiallydevastatingclimatechange;problemsthatare
    neitherblackorwhiteorLatinoorAsian,butratherproblemsthat
    confrontusall.
    ObamaalsorefusedtocountenancetheideathatwomenshouldvoteforHilaryClintonor
    SarahPalinjustbecausetheywerewomen.WesuggestthatObama’svictoryisavictory
    againsttheideathatprimaryappealofapoliticalleaderarisesfromwhotheyareintermsof
    raceorgender.ObamahasdoneforAmericanidentitypoliticswhatNewLabourdidforthe
    Britishleft:movefromangryanddivisivepoliticstoamoreconciliatory,centristplace.
    ThereareechoesofwhatObamahastriedtodointheUnitedStatesinwhatwearesaying
    needstohappenintheUK.Forexample,Obama’sconstantattemptstoappealtoissues
    ratherthanidentitycontrastdramaticallywithwhatseemedratherold-fashioncallsduring
    theLondonMayoralElectionforgaymenandwomentosupportBrianPaddickbecausehe
    isgay.PaddickwasrunningasaLiberalDemocrat.WhyshouldToryandLabourvotinggay
    peoplehaveanyreasonforsupportinghimotherthanold-fashionedidentitypolitics?
    21 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    5.Disadvantageanddiscrimination

    Asdescribedabove,identitiesoverlapandgroupsaremoreporousandflexiblethanever
    before.AsAnthonyGiddens(1991)andothershaveargued,wenowliveinacultureof
    greaterreflexivity.Wehavemoreroomtochoosewhoweareinaworldwheretraditionand
    homogeneityhavebeenerodedbyglobalisation,massconsumptionandagreaterpublic
    diversityoflifestyles.Andthereisafarlessreliableandautomaticconnectionbetween
    groupidentityanddisadvantage.
    WhenKenLivingstonewascampaigningforre-electionasMayorofLondonin2008,he
    trampedthestreetstryingtore-engagethesupportoftheminoritiesforwhomhispolicies
    attheGreaterLondonCouncilhadbeensuchabreakthroughinthe1980s.Backinthedays
    ofrainbowcoalitionsithadmadesenseforhimandmanyotherstofocusonbuilding
    alliancesbetweengroupswho,inthosedays,feltsowelldefinedbytheprejudicedirectedat
    them.But20yearson,AAGill,theSundayTimes journalist,wasmovedtokindregretin
    describingaspeechLivingstonemadeinagaypubinSoho:
    …helookswistfulandtalksaboutthegoodolddayswhen
    homophobiawastheretobeslainalongwithracism.…Thegayman
    nexttomewhispersthathe’sfedupwithbeingpatronisedandpatted
    onthehead.‘We’renotaput-uponminority,’hesays,fiercelyvoting
    outgenderpolitics.‘Wecareaboutallthesamethingsallother
    Londonerscareabout:busesanddrainsandpolicemen.’(Gill2008)
    The‘greatheroicfights’aresadlynotbehindusyet.Childrenarethrownoutoftheirhomes,
    menarebeatenandevenkilledforbeinggay.WhentheCatholicChurchconfidently
    excludesyoufromadoptingorfosteringachildthroughoneoftheiragenciessolelyonthe
    basisthatyouarehomosexualorwhenyoumissoutonpromotion,thenyouknowthat
    prejudiceisstillalive.Butasthewhisperinggaymanattests,thatisnotthewholestory
    eitherintermsofhowwefeelaboutourlives,northeobjectiverealityofourlifechances.
    Beingblack,gay,disabledorawomannolongerautomaticallyblightsourambitionorour
    chancesofsuccess.Thevariationswithinthesegroupsareenormous.Andtheassumptionof
    disadvantageandtheblanketapplicationofthosegroupstotheunderstandingofissuesdo
    notgiveusanaccurateguidetowhoisreallyatdisadvantageinsociety.

    VariationsintheMuslimcommunity
    In2006,ProfessorShamitSaggargavealecturefortheUniversityofSussexinwhichhe
    soughttounderstandthemythsofMuslimreligiousextremism.Therhetoricofgrievance
    playsaconsiderablepartinthejustificationofmoreextremeattitudes.Soheexaminedthe
    oftenmadeassertionthat‘BritishMuslimsexperiencesuchhighlevelsofsocialdisadvantage
    thattheirplightgoesbeyondthatofotherexcludedgroups’,apleafrequentlyheardfrom
    theso-called‘radical’preachers.Hisconclusionsareclear:
    TheeconomicsofBritishMuslimsareamixedpicture.Ononehand,by
    concentratingpurelyonPakistaniandBangladeshioriginMuslim
    communities,thepositionofotherMuslimgroupsgetsrelegatedtothe
    periphery.Mostdatahasbeencollectedonthesetwogroups,who
    togetheronlyaccountfortwo-thirdsofBritishMuslims.IndianMuslims,
    forinstance,performsignificantlybetterinthelabourmarketthan
    PakistanisorBangladeshis.Equally,thegenerallyimpressivestoryof
    theIsmailicommunity,orthosewithanEastAfricandimension,points
    22 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    intheotherdirection.LikewiseinrelationtoBritishMuslimsofArabor
    Turkishbackground.Thisimpliesacountryoforigineffect,ratherthan
    areligiouseffect.(Saggar2006)
    Thereareconsiderablevariationsacrossthegroup.Forinstanceonly4percentoffirst-
    generationPakistaniwomeninOldhamareeconomicallyactiveasagainst84percentof
    second-generationIndianmeninLondon.Therearewidevariationsbetweentheaspirations,
    achievementsandcareerprogressionbetweendifferentMuslimpeople.Forexample,5per
    centofmenofIndianoriginareinmedicinewhereas12percentofmenofPakistaniorigin
    aretaxidrivers.AsSaggarfurtherexplains:‘OneinthreeBangladeshimenisawaiterora
    chef.Meanwhile,IndianandChinesemennowaremorelikelythanwhitestoholdjobsat
    professionalorhighermanageriallevels.’ProfessorCeriPeach,oftheUniversityofOxford
    (quotedinSaggar2006)inanalliedpieceofresearch,concludedthat,‘takingintoaccount
    schooling,settlement,mobilityandemployment,thereislittletosustainthechargeof
    systematicexclusionofBritishMuslims.’
    WesaythisnottostopMuslimsfromaskingthefrequentlyjustifiedquestionsabouttheir
    treatmentwhenthereisprejudiceordisadvantage,butrathertochallengetheautomaticlink
    toooftenmadebetweenthe‘strands’andeconomicorsocialdisadvantageinthelivesof
    individuals.ManyMuslimsaredoingverywell.Itislazyandunproductivetoequatebeing
    Muslimwithdisadvantage.Infact,followingProfessorSaggar’sanalysis,itmayevenbe
    dangerousasitwilleffectivelybolsterthepoliticsofgrievance,whichnourishesrecruitment
    toextremism.

    Disadvantageamongothergroups
    InastudyfortheNewLocalGovernmentNetwork,AnnaTurley(2009)makesthepointthat
    womendorisetoseniorpositionsinlocalgovernmentalthoughtheytendtoberestrictedto
    socialcare.IntheNationalHealthServicein2007,25percentofdoctorsatconsultantlevel
    and47percentofregistrarswerefromblackorminorityethnic(BME)backgrounds(NHS
    InstituteforInnovationandImprovement2009).Asuccessstoryandaconsiderable
    improvementoverpreviousyears.
    Yet,incontrasttosuccessesatthemiddlelevelsoftheNHSandlocalgovernment,thereare
    veryfewchiefexecutivesinbothsectorswhoareeitherblackorwomen.Andwealsoknow
    thatwhilethereareahighpercentageofwomenandpeoplefromBMEgroupswhoworkin
    thepublicservice,theyarestronglyrepresentedinlowergrades.Butthepresenceofso
    manyfemaleandblackmiddlemanagersdrivesustoaskmorecomplexquestionsaboutthe
    effectofraceandgenderonachievementthantheone-dimensionalassumptionthatthe
    twogroupssimplyoverlayandexplaindisadvantage.Wemightforinstanceneedtoexamine
    theassumptionsthatliebehindtheappointmentofchiefexecutivesintheNHS,asitmay
    bethatdoctorsandnursesarenotregardedastherightpipelinetowardssenior
    management,sothatineffectitismedicalstaffwhoareexperiencingtheglassceilingand
    notwomenorpeoplefromBMEbackgrounds.
    Whenwelookatthedisadvantageexperiencedbygaypeople,weknowthatan
    unacceptablelevelofpeoplearebulliedatschoolanddiscriminatedagainstatwork.Head
    teacherscanstarttotacklethisbygivingalead,whichcanreducebullyingbyasmuchas60
    percent(HuntandJensen2007).Stonewall,thelesbianandgayequalitylobby,hasa
    DiversityChampionsprogramme,‘Britain’sgoodpracticeforuminwhichemployerscanwork
    withStonewall,andeachother,topromotelesbian,gayandbisexualequalityinthe
    workplace’.Three-hundred-and-fiftyorsolargeorganisationshavesignedup,including
    manyofBritain’smostsignificantemployers,takingaleadincreatingpositiveattitudesin
    23 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    theircompanies.Thereforeitseemsunhelpfultoclaim(extrapolatingfromthebullying
    statistics)thatallgaypeopleexperiencewholesalediscrimination.Weneedafocused
    understandingofexactlywherethiskindofdiscrimination,andthedisadvantagethatderives
    fromit,isexperienced.
    Ifitisassumedthatgroupexperienceissomehowuniformandthatprejudiceagainstthe
    groupisthedefaultcausethatweacceptforfailuretoachievepotential,thenwewillfailto
    reflectthevariationbetweenindividuals.Werisklimitingthelifechancesoftheverypeople
    wearetryingtosupport.Inalandmarklecture,BaronessJaneCampbell(2008),the
    disabilitycampaigner,spokeofthedangersofnotbeingalertto‘thediversityofthe
    characteristicsandexperiencesofdisabledpeople,andtothecausesofthebarrierswhich
    preventequality’.Shetalkedoftheriskpresentedbythe‘overlynarrowrepresentationof
    disabledpeople…whichdeniesthecomplexityofpeople’slives,themultiplicityoftheir
    identifications,andthecross-pullsoftheirvariousaffiliations.Therichdiversityofdisabled
    peoplehastoooftenbeenreducedtothewheelchairsymbol.’
    Manyofushaveanunderstandableaffectionforourgroupaffiliation,whichisborneof
    politicalexperience,habitinfightingtheoften-wearyingbattlesagainstdiscrimination
    togetherandafearthatinrecognisingchangewemightsomehowdiluteourstrength.
    Becausetherewasn’tsatisfactorypoliticalandsocialunderstandingof
    disabilityinplace,artistsusedtheirarttobepolitical,sowebecamean
    armyofcrippledBillyBraggs,ifyoulike.(Expertinterview)
    Thereisevenacertaincomfortinbeingtogetherwithpeoplewhowemightassume
    understandourlives.Buthowevermuchthebattleshavebeenfoughttogetheragainst
    prejudiceandinfavourofextendingopportunitiesforpreviouslymarginalisedgroups,itdoes
    notacknowledgeanysuccessorprogresstocontinuetorepeatoldmantras.Theevidence
    suggeststhatnotonlyisthereconsiderablevariationwithingroupsbutthatalsomany
    peopleareannoyedatbeinglumpedinwithasetofgroupassumptionsandexperiences.
    Ourfocusgroupswerequiteclearthatpeopledonotliketobepigeon-holed.Therewasa
    strongfeelingthatinthecaseofpublicservices,peopleprefertobetreatedasanindividual
    withasetofpersonalneedsratherthanasamemberofapre-determinedsocialgroup.
    Asoneblackactivistweinterviewedsaid:
    Icouldn’tputmyhandupandsayIthinkI’vebeendiscriminated
    against.IthinkI’vehadquiteagoodlife.Doorshaveopenedforme
    withinthefinancialsector,anddoorsarenowopeningfor
    me…elsewhere.SopersonallyIdon’tseeit.Andactuallymaybethat’s
    becauseIdon’tplaytheracecardinasenseandItrynottowalkinto
    aroomandautomaticallythinkI’mtheonlyblackmanandthey’reall
    againstme.IjustwalkintoaroomandthinkI’mX,ambitious,wantto
    achievesomething,getsomethingdone.
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    6.Whatiswrongwithcurrentapproaches?

    Localauthoritiesareherdedintotheidentitytrap.Theybecomehandmaidenstothe
    ‘strands’asifitgivesthemcomfortthatinequalityisbeingchallengedandpovertyand
    discriminationtackled.Forperfectlygoodreasons,conditionshavebeenattachedtopublic
    moneythatrequireorganisationstoconsiderhowtheywidenaccesstotheirservicesand
    grantsandhowtheybothengagethewidestrangeofpeopleandalsofocusonthosemost
    inneed.Itforcesthemtothink.Thisisagoodthing.
    However,thewaytheythinkishabituallytoosimplistictounderstandthesituationandtoo
    blunttocreateeffectiveremedies.Theyfrequentlyresorttoprocess.And,albeitwiththe
    bestofmotives,theyembracethetick-box.
    Toquestionthetick-boxisnottoaccuselocalauthoritiesof‘politicalcorrectnessgonemad’.
    Itmaywellmakethoseofuswhocareaboutequalityandfightingdiscriminationalittle
    anxious(orevenembarrassed)whenwereadthat80-year-oldresidentsofacarehomein
    Brightonareregularlyaskedabouttheirsexualityinorderto‘meetCouncilguidelines’
    (EveningArgus,9February2009).Butitshouldnotmakeusotherthandelightedthatthere
    isanintentiontomakesurethatthestaffinoldpeople’shomesareequippedtomake
    elderlygaypeoplefeelcomfortableandincluded.
    Thenotionofpoliticalcorrectness,usuallydeployedbypeoplewithamalignantrejectionof
    attemptstoencourageequality,issimplyawaytotrytogetpeopletoconsiderthatwhich
    theydonotnormallyconsider;toencourageustobeexplicitaboutchangingourattitudes
    andpoliciesinrelationtothosewhohavebeentraditionallydiscriminatedagainst.Butthe
    tick-boxapproachthattreatspeopleasiftheyareamemberofapredeterminedsocial
    group,withneedsandintereststhatareassumedtoflowfromit,doesnotachievethat.
    Iusedtoworkfor[X]asasocialworker,andtherewerealwaysloads
    ofboxestotickforpeople.Igotreallyfrustratedbecausetherewas
    whiteBritish,butnot‘blackBritish’,‘IndianBritish’,anyother…you
    couldn’tputanythingotherthanwhiteanditwasreallydiscriminatory
    andquiteoffensivetoalotofpeople.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Iknowawriterwhointhelastfiveyearshasfoundherselfbeing
    describedasa‘Muslimwriter’.SheisaMuslimandshe’sawriterbut
    she’snotaMuslimwriternowandsheneverwasbefore.(Expert
    interview)
    Totakeanexample,oneofus,sittingontheArtsCouncilintheSouthEast,wasaskedto
    endorseasastrategicprioritythecreationoftwoBMEtheatrecompaniesintheregion.An
    obviousquestioncametomind:whatproblemwasthisdesignedtotackle?Andthen:what
    doesaBMEtheatrecompanymean?IsitledbyBMEpeople;doesitcastonlybackand
    othernon-whiteactors;doesitproduceandcommissiononlywritingbyblackorAsianor,
    even,Polishauthors?WhatinthiscontextdidBMEitselfmean?Refugeesandasylum
    seekers;first-generationimmigrants;BlackBritishpeoplewhosefamilieshadlivedinthe
    SouthEastformanygenerations;migrantworkersfromEasternEurope?
    Whoseproblemwerewetryingtosolve?Wastheaimtocreateamorediverseaudiencefor
    theatre,bettercareeropportunitiesforBMEactorsanddirectors?Theproposalmayhave
    beenaperfectlygenuineattempttoputsomefleshonthecreationofgreaterdiversityin
    theartsintheSouthEast.Butitwasinarticulateinbothitsanalysisanditssolution.Itwas
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    anautomaticresponse,basedonanuntestednotionthatallBMEpeoplesomehowhaveless
    accesstothearts,bothasconsumersandproducers.
    WearenotcriticisingtheArtsCouncil,whichhasdonemuchtoinvestintheengagement
    ofnewaudiencesforart,butwewanttohighlighttheneedtobeaccurateaboutexactly
    thenatureofthediscrimination,disadvantageorlackofaccessbeingtackledandnotto
    workfromblanketassumptionsaboutcertainsocialgroups.Thisisnotapointabout
    ethnicity.ThisapproachbytheArtsCouncilwouldhavebeenasfaultyinrelationto
    peoplewithdisabilitiesorgaypeopleoranyofthetraditionalstrands.Granted,moving
    beyondstrandsismorecomplicatedandtheeffectishardertocount–andpublic
    agenciesoftenpreferthepaperclipapproach,bywhichyoucantotupthetotals.Itis
    alsolesscomfortingtothosewhoinsistthatidentityisnotjustonekeyfactorin
    disadvantage,butthesolefactor.
    TheCommonPurposenetworkandtherecruitmentconsultantsOdgersRay&Berndtsonrun
    acampaigncalled‘AboutTime’.Itisa‘targetedcampaignseekingtoencourageandsupport
    talentfromdiversecommunitiestotakeonnon-executiveopportunitiesonpublicboards
    nationally,regionallyandlocally’.Butatarecentseminaraseniorcivilservantsaidthe
    followingtoaroomofwrysmiles,‘IfyouthinkthataddingmetoyourBoardcreates
    diversity,you’dbewrong.Iammiddleaged,inseniormanagementandOxbridgeeducated.
    ThefactthatIamAsiandoesnotmakeanydifference.OnacharityBoardIamjustmoreof
    thesame.’
    WelivewiththescourgesofprejudiceanddisadvantageinBritain.Butwehaveadutyto
    peopleindevisingeffectivesolutionstotheirproblemsandsupportingtheirattemptsto
    fulfiltheirambitionsandrealisetheirpotential,tobeclearaboutexactlywherethat
    discriminationaffectsthemandinwhatway.
    InapresentationatarecentBoardmeetingweattended,anexperiencedhealthprofessional
    includedaslidethatnotedthehighincidenceof‘oralcanceramongPakistaniand
    Bangladeshimen’.Buttowhatextentisthisaproblemofethnicityandtowhatextentisit
    aboutlifestylehabits?Infact,thehighestincidenceoforalcancerinBritainisamong
    Scottishmen.Arecentstudy(Conwayetal2007)reachedtheconclusionthat,‘Oralcancer
    riskappearshighlycorrelatedwithsocio-economicfactors,bothinScotlandandintheUK
    [asawhole]’.InScotland,oralcancerwasmostcommoninthemostdeprivedregions.
    Broadlyspeakingtheconclusionsimplythatthemajorcausesoforalcanceraretobacco,
    povertyandpossiblyalcohol.Itmaybeassociatedwiththeextremestressthataccompanies
    deprivation.Ash(ActiononSmokingandHealth)concludedin2006that,notonlywasthere
    anissueabouttheconsumptionofnon-smoking(chewing)tobacco,butalso‘Bangladeshi
    andPakistanicommunitiestendtoeatfewerfruitandvegetablesthanotherminoritygroups
    andalsotakelessphysicalexercise’.Theconnectionisaboutlifestyleandcircumstance,not
    ethnicity.
    Wehaveadutynottomakeassumptionsaboutpeoplewhenwemakesocialpolicy
    decisionsthataffecttheirlives.Totakeaverydifferentexample,AlisonShea,theAssistant
    DirectorforHousing&SupportservicesatMencap,recountedrecentlyastoryaboutavicar
    whowouldnotmarryacouplewhobothhadDown’ssyndromebecause,hesaid,‘they
    wouldn’tunderstandtheimplicationsofgettingmarried,whattheconsequencesofitwere’.
    Sheasaidtohim,‘Well,whenitcomestomarriage,whichofusdoes?Wejustfallinlove
    anddoit!’Whatreallyisthedifferenceintheexperienceoflovebetweenamanorwoman
    withDown’sandacouplewithout?
    Weknowthatyoucannotascribehomogeneouscharacteristicstogroupsofpeoplewho
    26 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    havehistoricallysuffereddisadvantage,norinfermonochromeconclusionsabouttheir
    experience.Manyofushavespentthebestpartofourlivesfightingagainstthatkindof
    stereotyping.Andyetweappeartosubmitreadilytothetick-boxinsocialpolicyandaction
    withoutdistinguishingbetweenthemomentofdisadvantageandthemomentofpotential.
    Weblithelyapplythecategorieswithoutasking,‘Whatproblemarewetryingtosolve?’And
    wegiveinsufficientweighttothedifferencesinpeople’sexperiences.
    Ourintervieweeswerealmostunanimousonthis.Oneofthekeyissuesabouttheuseof
    tick-boxesorlabelswasthatitdepersonalisedorinsomeotherwaycompromisedtheperson
    involved.Thepointwasmadethat,infact,agroupoffriendsmayuselabelsor
    categorisationswithinthegroups,butthiswasdonewiththeknowledgeand(presumably)
    tacitconsentoftheindividualinvolved.
    TheyknowwhoIamwithinthegroup.Wehavethelazyperson,the
    fatone,theonewho’sabitdizzy,weallhaveourlabelswithinthe
    group,butwe’recomfortablewiththat.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Thisprovidedacluetowardsthekindoftreatmentthatpeoplewantedfrompublicand
    privatesectororganisations:servicethattreatedthemasanindividual,asaperson,rather
    thanasanumberorsomekindofunitofmeasurement.
    Iwasmaderedundantlastyear…andnowI’minasituationwhere
    I’mtryingtofindanything,andwithJobcentresIfeellikeI’mbeingput
    intothisgroupofpeoplewhodon’twanttoworkandjustsitaround
    drinkingtheirbenefitallday.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Weareall‘others’.Youcan’tputmeinabox.Iwasfosteredbya
    Ghanaianfamily.MyfatherwasJewish.WhatboxdoItick? (Expert
    interview)
    Weowepeoplethedutyofaccuracyinsolvingsocialproblemsandnotthedefaultof
    assumption.
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    7.Raceversusclass:anexampleofwhyweneedbetteranalysis

    Atellingexampleofhowbadlywefailtounderstandthecomplexityofdisadvantageand
    discriminationisaroundtherelativeimportanceofethnicityinexplainingthesocio-economic
    statusofethnicminorities.Theso-called‘raceversusclass’debatehasbeenrunningfor
    decadesand,whilewedonotwanttorevisitallofitsintricacies,afewrecentexamplesbring
    tolifethekindsofthepointswearetryingtomakeinthispaper.

    Performanceatschool
    Thecontroversiesaroundtheeducationalattainmentofethnicminorityschoolchildrenin
    theUKshowshowthepoliticsofethnicitycansometimestrumptheeconomicsofreality.It
    isoftenreportedthatwhiteworking-classboysaredoingbadlyatschool,despitetheirnon-
    whitepeersallegedlyhavingaccesstoextraattentionandresources(forexample:‘White
    boys‘arebeingleftbehind’byeducationsystem’,DailyMail,22June2007;‘White
    working-classboysaretheworstperformersinschool’, TheIndependent,22June2007).
    Therealityisthatthedifferencesbetweenethnicgroupsaremuchlesssignificantthanthose
    betweenricherandpoorergroups.
    Schoolsdatathatdistinguishesbetweenthosestudentswho,becauseoftheirpoor
    background,receivefreeschoolmealsandthosewhodonotsuggestthataffluenceisa
    muchmoreimportantindicatorofeducationalattainmentthanethnicity.Forexample,the
    gapbetweenwhitestudentsinpoverty(receivingfreeschoolmeals[‘FSM’])andmore
    affluentwhitestudents(notreceivingfreeschoolmeals[‘non-FSM’])ismorethanthree
    timesbiggerthanthegapsbetweendifferentethnicgroupswhoareequallydisadvantaged
    (GillborninSveinnson2009).Thereisa32percentagepointgapbetweennon-FSMand
    FSMwhiteboys,comparedwitha9.7percentagepointgapbetweenFSMwhiteboysand
    themostsuccessfuloftheblackFSMboys(categorisedasBlackAfrican).
    Inthisexample,thefocusonethnicityisdoublydangerous:thosewhowanttoaddress
    educationalinequalitycouldendupfocusingonthewrongcausalfactors(ethnicity,not
    class)and,intheprocess,thosewhowanttofuelethnicrivalrieshavegreaterfodder.
    Conversely,suchessentialisingofethnicitymayalsoexplainrecentdebatesaboutthe‘white
    workingclass’.Thereisnodenyingthedisadvantagefacedbysomepoorwhitecommunities
    intheUK.However,thereisverylittleevidencetosuggestthattheirdisadvantageisthe
    resultofdiscriminationonthebasisoftheirbeingwhite(seeSveinsson2009).Again,justas
    fornon-whitechildren,parentalincome,occupationsandeducationalqualificationsarelikely
    tohavefarmoretodowithsocio-economicstatusthanthecolourofsomeone’sskin.
    TheheadoftheEHRC,TrevorPhillips,recentlydealtwiththisissuefromaslightlydifferent
    angle,comingtothesameconclusion.Hetookwhat‘wethinkofasaseriesofracial
    disadvantagesthataffectthreegroups’andsoughttoreinterprettheevidenceinadifferent
    light.TakingsuccessatGCSEasanindicatorhearguedthattheproblemof
    underachievementthatwasoftendescribedasbeingdemonstratedby‘AfricanCaribbean
    boys,Pakistanigirlsandboys,andsomewhiteboys’mayinfacthaveadifferentroot.
    Ratherthanrace,hearguedthattherewasanotherdimension.Hedeterminedone
    underlyingsignificantfactor:thatwhileinmostBritishfamiliesfarmorewomennowwork
    than40yearsago,increasingtheirhouseholds’wealth,thisisnotthecaseforthesethree
    groups.InAfricanCaribbeanfamiliesmorethanhalfofthechildrengrowupinhomeswith
    justoneadult,theequivalentofoneearner;inPakistanifamiliesfewerthanonequarterof
    thewomenarelikelytowork;andinsomewhitefamiliestherearetwoparentsbuttheyare
    28 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    youngandnotworkingandtheremaybenoonewhohasworkedsteadilyforageneration
    (Phillips2008).Whatlinkedthesegroupswasthattheycamefromsingle-incomefamilies.
    Philipsthusconcludedthattheissuewasnotaboutracebutaboutpoverty.

    Gangculture
    Inhisfascinatingstudyonyouthgangs,carriedoutinWalthamForest,JohnPitts,the
    VauxhallProfessorofSocio-legalStudiesattheUniversityofBedfordshire,setoutto
    understandtheformation,operationandeffectofyouthgangsinthisLondonBorough
    (Pitts2007).Delvingdeepandexaminingthenatureoftheconflictsbetweengangs,he
    madethestartlingdiscoverythattheformationofgangsisprimarilyaboutlocationand
    poverty,notethnicity.Althoughthe‘pan-Londongangprofileindicatesthat48percentof
    thegangssurveyedwere“AfricanCaribbean”and21percent“Asian”’,inWalthamForest,
    ‘gangsareestatebasedandtheirethnicmake-upreflectstheethnicmake-upoftheir
    estates.’Thus,‘[w]hileBlackandMixedHeritageyoungpeopleareover-representedin
    youthgangs,WhiteandAsianyoungpeoplesharingasimilarsocialandeconomicprofileand
    livingonthesameestates,andinthesameneighbourhoods,arealsomorelikelytobecome
    involved.’
    TherearemanyculturalfactorsthatcanbeattributedtothebehaviourofWalthamForest’s
    gangs,especiallythe‘blackgangculture’oftheUS,buttheessentialissuehereistodowith
    lifechancesandprospects.Itisnotassociatedwithbeingblack.

    What’sinaname?
    Afinalillustrationofthecomplexitiesweareexploringinvolvesthedebateaboutwhether
    andwhysomeone’snamecanleadtoprejudiceagainstthem.Ithasbeenlongsuggested
    (includingbysomeofourdiscussiongroupparticipants)thatnamesthatclearlyindicatea
    person’sethnicorreligiousbackgroundcanleadtodiscriminationintheeducationand
    labourmarkets.Butexactlyhowthisdiscriminationworksisamatterofconsiderabledebate.
    Oftenthedefaultreactionistoreachforraceastheexplainer.
    Mydaughterhadalotofproblemslookingforajob;sheactually
    changedhernamebecauseshehadto.Everywheresheappliedfora
    jobshedidn’tgetitbecauseshewasIndian.She’sgotalltheright
    qualifications.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Iwon’twritemyfullnameanywhere.IfIdo,IknowI’mgoingtobenot
    included.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    However,oneprominentpieceofAmericanresearchthatexaminedbirthcertificatedatafor
    everychildborninCaliforniafoundthattherewasnonegativerelationshipbetweenhavinga
    distinctivelyblacknameandlaterlifeoutcomesaftercontrollingforachild’scircumstances
    atbirth(takingintoaccountthesocio-economiccircumstancesofthechild’sfamily’s
    situation)(FryerandLevitt2004).Reviewingthatresearchthreeyearslater,Levittand
    Dubnersaid:
    Thedatashowthat,onaverage,apersonwithadistinctivelyblack
    name–whetheritisawomannamedImanioramannamedDeShawn
    –doeshaveaworselifeoutcomethanawomannamedMollyora
    mannamedJake.Butitisn’tthefaultofhisorhername.Iftwoblack
    boys,JakeWilliamsandDeShawnWilliams,areborninthesame
    neighborhoodandintothesamefamilialandeconomiccircumstances,
    theywouldlikelyhavesimilarlifeoutcomes.Butthekindofparents
    whonametheirsonJakedon’ttendtoliveinthesameneighborhoods
    29 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    orshareeconomiccircumstanceswiththekindofparentswhoname
    theirsonDeShawn.Andthat’swhy,onaverage,aboynamedJakewill
    tendtoearnmoremoneyandgetmoreeducationthanaboynamed
    DeShawn.DeShawn’snameisanindicator–butnotacause–ofhis
    lifepath.(LevittandDubner2007)
    AnotherpieceofAmericanresearch,thisonebasedonalargeanddetaileddatasetfrom
    Floridaschools,suggestssomethingmorecomplicatedgoingonthatmayexplain
    discrimination.
    Childrenwithnamesassociatedwithlowsocio-economicstatus,andto
    alimiteddegree,with‘Blackness’perse,tendtoscorelowerontheir
    readingandmathematicstests,relativetotheirsiblingswithlessrace
    orclass-identifiablenames…[but]‘Blackness’perseapparently
    mattersconsiderablylessthandoestheperceivedsocio-economic
    statusofaname.(Figlio2005)
    Thissecondstudysuggeststhatteachersmayuseachild’snameasasignalofunobserved
    parentalcontributionstothatchild’seducation,andexpectlessfromchildrenwithnames
    that‘sound’liketheyweregivenbyuneducatedparents.Interestingly,theauthorfindsthat
    teacherstreatstudentswithinarace,andevenwithinafamily,differentlydependingontheir
    name.Thehypothesisisalsobolsteredbythefindingthattheoppositesetofresultsare
    observedintheinstanceofAsianfamilies,forwhomaracially-identifiablenamemaysignal
    attributesthatareperceivedtobeassociatedwithsuccess.
    Whatisinterestingaboutthisissueforourpurposeisthatitraisessomechallenging
    questionsfortraditionalapproachestodiscrimination.Forastart,discriminationonthebasis
    ofsomeone’snamedoesnotfalleasilyintostrands.Secondly,wherethereisevidenceof
    discriminationonthebasisofrace,itcanonlybeexplainedbytheintersectionofraceand
    classratherthanbyracealone.And,perhapsmostpertinentlytotheconcernsofthispaper,
    whateverisgoingoncanonlybeunderstoodbyasophisticatedanalysis(inthiscase
    econometricregressions)thatisnotonlyawareof,butblindto,anypresumptionsabout
    whatmaybecausingdiscrimination,ifanyexists.
    Intheabovetwocases,ithastakensomenumber-crunchingeconomistsandtheirregression
    analysestounpackanissuethatwouldotherwisebetakenforgrantedbymostequality
    activists.MoreofthissortofworkisneededacrosstheequalitiesagendaintheUK.
    Expertshaveandwillcontinuetoporeoverthenuancesandsubtletiesofwhetherandhow
    raceorclassmattermore.Ourpointisthatbothwillmattertosomedegree,dependingon
    thecontextandoftendependingontheindividual.Groupingpeopleaccordingto,say,
    ‘ethnicity’insuchbroadcategoriesseemsneithertoworkparticularlywellasananalytical
    toolnorindeedasanexpressionoffeltidentity.Weneedtodobetterthanthis,especiallyif
    wearetohaveanychanceofaddressingtheproblemsidentifiedbythosewhohave
    campaignedonraceissuesoverthelastfewdecades.Ironically,gettingofftheracesoap-
    boxmaybethefirststepinactuallyaddressingthegrievancesofethnicminorities.Andthe
    same,weargue,couldbesaidofanyothersingle-identity-basedmovement.
    30 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    8.Conclusion

    Itmayseemstrangetobeginaconclusionbyquotingothersbuttheargumentweare
    makingdrawsoninsightsfromanumberofdifferentperspectives.Feministsandothers,for
    example,havelongtalkedabout‘intersectionality’.Theyarguethatyoucannotunderstand
    thesituationofwomenwithoutdelvingdeeperintootherfactorsthataffecttheirlivesand
    lifechances.Somesociologistshavearguedthatcategoriesarearbitraryproductsofhistory
    andlanguageandcontributelittletounderstandingthewaysinwhichpeopleexperience
    society(see,forexample,McCall2005).Youcannotliberatepeopleunlessyouliberatethe
    languageinwhichyoutalkaboutthem.
    KenanMalik(2008)hasrecentlypointedoutthetroublewithourcollectiveunderstanding
    anduseofrace:racismandanti-racismarebothplaguedbythesamemythsaroundthe
    essentialistandapparentlyscientificbasisofracialcategories.Ourcollectivechallengeisto
    takeadvantageofthepragmaticopportunitiesthatcategoriessuchasraceofferusinterms
    ofunderstandingsocietyanditsproblems,butnotbeboundbythosecategories.
    IqbalSacranie,thelong-standingSecretaryGeneraloftheMuslimCouncilofBritain,used
    hisretirementspeechtoreflectonsomeofthesuccessesofMuslimpoliticalmobilisationin
    theUKbutalsosignalledaneedforsomechanges.
    Whileidentitypoliticshasbeenpsychologicallysatisfying,andallowed
    socio-economicinequalitiestobeaddressed,italsonurtures
    communityself-interest.…Itseemsthatonestrategicchoiceisfor
    Muslimstobedoingmuchmoreforthemoralandsocialupliftmentof
    societyasawhole,ratherthanjustfortheirowncommunities.Itwill
    meanreplacinganinward-lookingapproachwithgreaterengagement
    asindividualsinthecivilsocietyaroundus.Itwillmeantheageof
    identitypoliticsisover. (Sacranie2006)
    SamirShah,thesuccessfulandpioneeringmediaexecutive,showedhisfrustrationatthe
    lackofdiversityinBritishmediainhis2008RoyalTelevisionSocietyLecture:
    Theplainfactisthatthistick-boxapproachtoequalopportunitieshas
    ledtoaninauthenticrepresentationofwhoweare:aworldof
    deracinated,colouredpeopleflickeringacrossourscreens–tothe
    irritationofmanyviewersandtheembarrassmentoftheverypeople
    suchactionsaremeanttoappease. (Shah2008)
    Ourpointisthatdespitetheseandothertheoreticalarguments,politicalconcernsand
    empiricalobservations,publicauthoritieshavelargelystucktoanorthodoxapproachover
    thelastdecadesintryingtotackleinequalityandcreatediversity.Theaimofourpaperhas
    beentoquestionthisorthodoxy.
    Anemphasisonidentityhas,aswehavebeenarguing,gotusalongwayincreatingvisibility
    andrespectforgroupsofpeoplewhohavepreviouslyexperiencedwholesaleprejudice.Ithas
    considerablytransformedthewaysthattheyareseenbytherestofsociety.Ithascreated
    change.Butwearenowunderanobligationtotakethatverychangeintoaccount.
    WehaveseenthatBritishsocietyhasbeenradicallyalteredinitsvisiblediversity–notjust
    itscolour,butwiththepresenceofpeoplewithdisabilitiesouttherelivingordinarylives;in
    thechangedfaceofromanceandwhonowholdshandwithwhomwalkingdownthestreet;
    31 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    whomarrieswhom;howmanywomenworkandwhatstatustheynowhave;andjusthow
    muchprejudiceisfrownedupon.Butitstillpervadestheattitudesofsomeindividualsandof
    toomanyoftheorganisationswehavetodealwitheveryday.Allisnotyetright.
    Therearestillbattlestobefoughtandproblemstobesolved.Andinthisincreasinglyliberal
    context,thereisanironictruthabouttolerance–whichwetaketomeannotapatronising
    statetobein,butonewherepeoplehaveandpractiserespectforeachother.Widespread
    tolerancedoesnotbreedtoleranceintheintolerant.Infact,surroundedbytolerancethey
    becomemoreintolerant,morethreatenedandmoreextreme.And,whentheyarenotbeing
    violent,theyexploittheactionsofthoseworkingtoachieveequalitybystirringup
    resentmentandcreatingabacklash,especiallywhentheycanclaimthatresourcesarebeing
    takenfromonegroupandgiventoanother.
    InacounterintuitivewayonemightarguethattheriseoftheBritishNationalParty,the
    incidenceofhomophobicandracistviolenceandextremeprejudiceagainstminorities,arein
    partreactionstooursuccessinmakingamoreliberalBritain.Itisalsoasignthattosome
    extentwehaveleftthemajoritybehind,whichmakesthemfeeluncomfortableaboutefforts
    toachieveequality.
    Becauseofequalitylaws,peoplehavetofilltheirquotas.They’reusing
    thesepartsontheformstomakesurethatthey’renotemployingall
    thesamepeople.Butbydoingthat,it’snotequal,isit?(Discussion
    groupparticipant)
    Youseesomethinginanewspaperwheresomeoneisidentifiedbytheir
    religion–‘so-and-so,Muslim’,buttheywouldn’tput,‘JohnSmith,
    Christian’.(Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Inthiscontext,thetick-boxapproach,unintelligentlyapplied,givesthebigotedthekindof
    ammunitiontheyneed–stokingtheirownunpleasantprejudice.Itevenmakestheunsure
    uneasyaboutwhatistryingtobeachieved.Itcangivethestrongsensethatthisdoesnot
    includethem.
    There’sabigemphasisondiversityatanorganisationallevel,whichis
    alittlebitabstractattimes.Butputtingitintopracticeisanother
    matter.Wedoalotoftraining,whereyoubecomeawareoftheissues.
    (Discussiongroupparticipant)
    Wedoneedtohavediversitytraining,butifitgoesoverthetopand
    becomestooPCthenthere’sbacklashagainstit.(Discussiongroup
    participant)
    Aslongaswedevisesocialpolicyandallocateresourcesonlyalongthelinesofthe
    traditionallydiscriminated-againstgroups(thatis,the‘strands’)withoutdelvingdeeperfor
    moreevidenceaboutexactlywhoisinneed,thenweareindangerofgivingsuccourtothe
    grievanceofthebigoted.Unlessweargueforequalityanddiversityasapoliticalposition–
    derivedfromwhatyouthinkanddo,ratherthanwhatyouare–whichdevelopssocietyto
    thegreatestgood,weareindangerofsacrificingsomeofthegains.
    IfGroupXwantssomething,they’vegottodemonstratethatit’s
    actuallyinthepublicinterestratherthanintheinterestsofjust
    membersofthatgroup.(Expertinterview)
    Government,localauthoritiesandotherpublicagenciesmusttakerealcaretobeableto
    substantiateclaimsaboutdisadvantage.Theycannotbasethemonassumptionsabout
    32 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    groups.Accuracyinsolvingproblems(tothebenefitofeveryone)isneededtocounter
    misinformationandcreateeffectiveinterventions.Ifsystemsandprocessesfortacklingsocial
    exclusionareseenasfavouringoneminorityoranother,thosewhodonotseethemselvesas
    ‘minorities’willdrawtheconclusionthattheyarenotbeinglistenedorrespondedto.They
    willfeelalienated.Weriskfermentingabacklashunlesswegettotherealcausesofsocial
    disadvantage.

    Areasforaction
    Tobeabletorisetothechallengesofthisnewsuper-diversitywebelievethereneedstobe
    discussionandactioninthreekeyareas:
    •Betterdatacollection
    •Morerobust,open-mindedanalysis
    •Moreeffectiveinterventions.
    Capturingdata
    Aswesaidattheoutset,categorisingpeoplecanbeausefulwayofidentifyinggroupsthat
    areatadisadvantageormaybebeingdiscriminatedagainst.However,thewayinwhich
    publicauthoritiesclassifypeopleiscumbersomeatbest,andoutdatedandirrelevantat
    worst.Weneedamorefluidandflexibleunderstandingofanevolvingsocialrealityaround
    identityandthedifferencesthatmatter.
    Capturinggrowingcomplexitywillnotbeeasy,butthealternativeoffallingforsimplistic
    reductionismwillnolongerstandusingoodstead.Andnewtechnologiesallowforfarmore
    sophisticatedwaysofcapturingdata.ThenextCensus(duein2011),forexample,offersan
    importantopportunitytoallowpeopletoself-definetheirethnicityorreligioninsteadof
    forcingthemtotickpre-determinedboxes.Moreworktomapjusthowdiverseeach
    communityofconcerniswouldbeveryuseful.Thereisemergingworkonthediversity
    withinethnicminoritycommunities(someofwhichwehavequotedabove)butmoreis
    neededaboutthediversityofexperienceandsituationsofgaypeople,peoplelivingwith
    disabilities,women,faithcommunitiesandsoon.
    Open-mindedanalysis
    Secondly,aswehavetriedtoshowwiththeexampleoftheinteractionbetweenraceand
    class,doingtrulyopen-mindedresearchintothecausalfactorsthatdrivedisadvantageand
    discriminationcanrevealsometimesstartlingbutalmostalwaysusefulinformation.We
    believethatanessentialsteptowardspromotingequalityisfreshanalysis,basedonbetter
    data,oftherealdriversanddynamicsofdisadvantageanddiscrimination.Weneedmore
    analysesthatstartwiththeproblemandnotwithapresumptionaboutthetypeofsolution.
    Weneedresearchthatseekstoexamineallthefactorsthatleadtoaproblem,sothatthe
    mostimportantonescanbeaddressed,notjustthesortofresearchthatseeksto
    understandhowinstitutionallyracistanorganisationisorwhethermorerightsareneededfor
    thisorthatgroup.
    Morerobustregressions,nottiredassertions,arewhattheequalitiesworldneeds.We
    needtobepreparedforthefactthat,forinstance,themosteffectivewayofaddressing
    guncrimeamongyoungblackkidsinLondonmaybetoextendaTubelinetoimprove
    people’saccesstowork,notthroughdishingoutpatronisingpocketmoniestoblack
    youthgroups.
    Betterinterventions
    Oneofthebiggestchallengesofallistohowtodesignpolicyinterventionsthatcantakeinto
    accountthecomplexitybutbemanageableenoughtobeputintopractice.Afterall,oneof
    33 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    themostappealingfeaturesofthetick-boxapproachisthatitpresentsarelativelyeasyway
    forover-worked,under-paidofficialstocheckhowwelltheyaredoingonequalities.
    Ourkeymessageisthatweneedtodevisenewinterventionsthatdonotsimplyapply
    outdatedorirrelevantcategorisationsandassumeallthosepeoplewhotickcertainboxes
    havethesamecharacteristicsorneedthesameapproach.Drawingonwiderdiscussions
    aboutpublicservicedelivery,weneedaflexible,individualisedapproachtomeetindividual
    needs.Ifwecanpersonalisepublicservices,thenwecanpersonaliseourapproachto
    equality.
    Forexample,inhealthcare,therearegoodargumentsfor,andsomeearlyexperiencesof,
    abandoningtheideaofprovidinghealthpractitionerstrainingin‘culturalknowledge’about
    oneormore(orevery)minoritygroup.Instead,equippingprofessionalswithgenericskillsto
    respondflexiblytoallencountersismoreappropriate.Thismeansrespondingtoeachpatient
    asanindividual,withindividualneeds,andtovariationsinpatients’cultureinitsbroadest
    sense(JoeKaicitedinVertovec2006).

    Finalthoughts
    Wearenotentirelywithoutpragmatisminourrecommendations.Wedorecognisethatthere
    isabigleaphere.Togettothepositionwhereweareformulatingpolicyandactingonthis
    moresophisticatedapproachtopeople’sidentitywillnonethelesssometimesstillinvolveus
    usingsomeoldlevers.Weshouldnotbeshyaboutthis,justself-conscious.Forinstance
    thereisavalueinvisiblediversity.OneBoardthatoneofuschairshadeightexisting
    members,allwhite,includingthreewomen.Inaone-offrecruitment,theBoardagreedtoan
    approachtotheselectionofthreenewmembersfromashortlistofonlywomenandblack
    peoplewhomettheskillsrequirements.Thisformofpositiveactionresultedinthe
    recruitmentoftwoBMEmembersandawoman.ItwasasymbolofintentbytheBoardand
    recognisedbythemthatitwasnotasubstantivesolutiontoachievingaBoardoftrue
    diversity,whichinthecontextwouldmostcontroversiallyhaveanumberofpeoplewhowere
    neitheruniversity-educatednormiddle-class.Butitwasawayofemphasisingthatifyoudo
    notmakeadeterminedefforttolookindifferentplacesforrecruits,youneveralterthemix.
    Thiswasatacticinrelationtorepresentationbutthelonger-termstrategyhastobeabout
    broaderchangeinrelationtopolicy.Weareurgingajudiciouscombinationofpragmatism
    andwholesalere-evaluationoftheuseofidentity-groupsinbringingaboutchange.Ifwe
    usethemfromtimetotimeitisimperativethatwearenothostagetothem.
    There’salwaysgoingtobeabitofaclashintheendbetweenlifein
    whichpeopleare‘gayandblack’forinstance,andtheworldofidentity
    politics,particularlythecampaigninggroupsandpressuregroupswho
    notonlyareonedimensionalbutintheirdefencetheydoneedtobe
    onedimensionalinthewayinwhichtheypresenttheircasetothe
    world.Theyneedtosaythingslike,‘betterrightsfor…’(Expert
    interview)
    Thisisalsothecasewithlanguage.WeneedanewwayoftalkingaboutdiversityintheUK.
    Overzealouspursuitofcrudeequalitiesmeasures,coupledwithavociferous‘PCgonemad’
    brigade,havecreatedalotofawkwardnessaboutthelanguageweusewhentalkingabout
    identity,diversityandequality.Manypeopleseemtolackthelinguistictoolstoexpress
    themselvesinwhatisconsideredanappropriatewayorfinditdifficulttotalkaboutthese
    issuesforfearofcausingoffence.Webelievethatifyouliberatethelanguageofsomeits
    restrictiveassumptionsaroundtheseissues,wehaveabetterchanceofhavingamore
    inclusiveconversationaboutequality.
    34 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Whatisitaboutthewords‘equalopportunities’?It’ssomehowbecome
    tainted,thatphrase,withadourandjoylessandPC-ness.Itneeds
    reinvigoratingorreinventing.(Expertinterview)
    Onofourintervieweessuccinctlymadethepointwhenhesaidthatthemostimportant
    thinghehaddoneinhisjobwastotrytogettoapositionintheorganisationwhere
    ‘everyonefelttheyhadalegitimateviewonthesubjectofequalityanddiversity.…It
    wasn’tjustlefttothewomenandthegays,itwassomethingeveryonefelttheyhadastake
    in.’Intakingtheequalitiesagendaforwardwebelievethatwemustabandonour
    nervousnessaboutlanguage,allow,evenencourage,‘mistakes’andworktoapositionwhere
    whatwedointhisareaisasvitalandimportanttoa55-year-oldwhitefactoryworkerin
    Macclesfieldasitistoa18-year-oldAfricanCaribbeanwomanincentralLondon.
    Unlessweseeitasanissueforeveryone…notjustaskincolourissue
    orwhateverissue,thewholething’sflawed.Ifwecan’tcollectivelybuy
    intoitthenwe’llnevergetrespect.Itwillonlyberespectforthefewby
    thefew.(Expertinterview)
    Inallthis,wealsoneednewwaysofengagingpeoplewhoareactiveontheseissues.Well-
    organised,establishedsocialmovementsmaybeparticularlygoodatgrabbingpolicymakers’
    attentionbutthisdoesnotmeanthatthecausetheyrepresentisthemosturgentor
    important.‘Gaypeople’,‘Muslims’,‘Blackpeople’cannotbyanystretchoftheimagination
    besaidtosharethesameissuesandthesameconcernsofallothersintheirgroup.These
    groupsarenowsodiverseandsodifferentintheirneedsthatpoliticians,policymakersand
    thoseinbusinessneedtofeelempoweredtochallengetheassumptionsbehindtheclaims
    madeonbehalfofgroups.InparticularthewaythatBritishauthoritiesstructureandliaise
    withcommunityorganisationstendstogivevoicetothelargestorbest-establishedfew.In
    super-diverseBritain,itisnotsufficienttodobusinessonlywithafewpeakbodiesineach
    key‘strand’;somethingmoreorganicandflexibleisneeded.
    Werealisethatallthisisamammothtask.Thereareimportantopportunitiesthatcanbe
    seizedtoensurethatthenextfewdecadesofactiononequalitiesareasimportantasthe
    lastfewdecades.TheemergingdiscussionsaboutaSingleEqualityDuty,anewequality
    principleandtheconceptof‘fairness’provideuswithachancetobuildonthesuccessesof
    previousstrugglesbutnotbeboundbythem.
    Insummary,wehaveraisedquestionsaboutthevalueofjustusingformal‘strands’in
    establishingdiversity,equalityandfightingdiscrimination.Strand-basedoridentity-based
    thinkingandmobilisationhasplayedanimportantroleinrelationtodiscriminationandbeen
    animportantfactorinpromotingequalitiesinrecentdecadesintheUK.Butthissortof
    approachalonewillnotallowustocaptureorrespondtothediversityofpeople’slifestyles
    andaspirationsinthe21stcentury.Wehavetofindabalanceinsocialpolicybetweenthe
    individualandthegroup,andunderstandwhenweareansweringtheneedsofeach.
    Putsimply,‘Youcan'tputmeinabox’.
    35 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

    Appendix:Listofinterviewees

    Belowisalistofthepeoplewespoketoduringthecourseofthisresearch.Manyofthem
    havedoneandaredoingwonderfulthingsintheworldofequalities.Inthespiritofnot
    wantingtopigeon-holepeopleandbecausetheyspoketousinapersonalcapacity,wehave
    notlisteddetailsofwhotheyareandtheirinstitutionalaffiliations,butjusttheirnames.We
    aregratefulfortheirtimeandtheirhelp.Ofcoursetheconclusionsthatwehavedrawnfrom
    theirthoughtsandideasaretheauthors’responsibilityalone.
    •MonicaAli
    •ZennaAtkins
    •BaronessJaneCampbell
    •MatFraser
    •SharronHall
    •LeeJasper
    •NathanJohn
    •KamaljeetJandu
    •AndrewKane
    •KateMosse
    •JonPrashar
    •BaronessMargaretProsser
    •ProfessorShamitSaggar
    •SarahVeale
    •AnneWatts
    36 ippr|‘YouCan’tPutMeInABox’:Super-diversityandtheendofidentitypoliticsinBritain

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