Neither Trust nor Distrust:Social relations in a multi-ethnic neighbourhood in Copenhagen

In: Jensen , T G 2016 , ' Neither Trust nor Distrust : Social relations in a multi-ethnic neighbourhood in Copenhagen ' , Nordic Journal of Migration Research , vol. 6 , no. 1 , Special Issue Article , pp. 25-32 . https://doi.org/10.1515/njmr-2016-0009

Abstract

This article deals with the politicised notions of trust and social cohesion in urban spaces through a focus on practices of everyday relations in a mixed neighbourhood. Quantitative studies maintain that ethnically diverse neighbourhoods lack in trust and solidarity. However, the very meaning and effect of concepts such as `diversity`, `contact` and `trust´ are often unclear. This article challenges both the politicised assumptions and methodological basis for statements on trust as a condition for coexistence. Drawing on fieldwork in a multi-ethnic social housing estate in Copenhagen, this article explores residents´ understandings of diversity, contact and trust. The article argues that trust and strong ties may not be the prerequisite for coexistence in neighbourhoods, where the micro-politics of everyday contacts predominate.