The concentration of ethnic minorities in British schools: the choice of establishments

Abstract

This article studies the preferences for co-ethnic concentration among ethnic minorities in schools, one of the least known mechanisms of ethnic segregation. Using a survey carried out among Bangladeshi, Caribbean, Chinese, Indian and Pakistani people living in England and Wales, the paper indicates that both the proximity to the culture of origin and the perception of a context of discrimination are factors related to the preference for seeking a greater proportion of co-ethnics when choosing schools. The article also indicates that the preferences for co-ethnic concentration in schools seem to be independent from other processes of ethnic concentration.