The Ethos of Mixing

Abstract

In the previous chapters, I have discussed how civility towards diversity has become commonplace in Hackney Interacting with people who are different in their religious, ethnic, educational or socio-economic backgrounds is not considered unusual, but is commonplace in public and parochial space. In this context of commonplace diversity, attitudes towards diversity are generally positive. However, in this chapter I show how positive attitudes towards diversity are accompanied by little understanding for groups who are perceived as ‘not wanting to mix’, a phrase repeatedly used by my informants. The chapter develops the idea of an ethos of mixing among Hackney’s residents, in referring to the expectation that in public and associational spaces, people ‘should mix’ and interact with their fellow residents of other backgrounds. It describes the tensions that arise when groups of people do not adhere to this ethos of mixing. Examples which were mentioned most often during my research are strictly Orthodox Jews and so-called ‘Hipsters’, young, mostly middle-class people who emphasize fashion and style and have only recently moved into the area. I contrast these two groups with Turkish speakers and Vietnamese people, many of whom, especially among first-generation migrants, also do not have much contact with people from outside their group, but are not perceived to undermine the ethos of mixing.