Experiencing diversity in London: Social relations in a rapidly changing neighbourhood

This chapter discusses how residents of the London Borough of Haringey perceive the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of their local neighbourhood. The positive perceptions of neighbourhood diversity of Haringey residents revolve mainly around the opportunities for new experiences and greater levels of tolerance, understanding, and comfort, and access to more diverse places of consumption. The chapter then assesses the extent to which positive perceptions of diversity translate into meaningful and sustained practice across lines of difference. For the majority of the Haringey residents, relations with their neighbours are 'pleasantly minimal', and they choose to visit spaces run or attended by people with similar characteristics. Neighbourhood diversity is a natural part of everyday life for the residents, but this typically only extends as far as the public sphere. In the private sphere, the networks and activities of most residents are far more insular than perhaps their perceptions of diversity would suggest.