Culture matters : an analysis of ethnic segregation and congregation in Sydney, Australia using centrographic method

The dynamics of ethnic segregation or congregation are a recurrent topic of discussion due to the worries that severe forms of such segregation or congregation will lead to social polarization and stigma for particular communities and areas. These impacts are especially pronounced in the global cities due to the presence of large and increasing number of immigrants. Better understanding of.segregation/congregation dynamics can help governments in formulating policies to prevent undesirable outcomes. Most of the past research on this topic has pointed to the social-economic factors such as household income, English proficiency and education level as the major determinants that lead to ethnic segregation or concentration. Focusing on the context in Sydney, this paper presents research findings that demonstrate cultural origins also have strong influence on the level of ethnic congregation. The research for the first time utilises the centrographic method to investigate the spatial distribution pattern of ethnic populations in Sydney using the 2006 ABS census data for the country of birthplace at a fine grain suburban scale. The research illustrates that migrants originating from North-west Europe, South Africa, Americas and New Zealand tend to have low level of congregation. On the other hand people from Asia, the Middle East and Eastern and Southern Europe have higher levels of congregation. This paper presents detailed analysis of congregation/segregation of immigrant communities as well as an in-depth discussion on what explains such patterns.