Settling in a Super-Diverse Context: Recent Migrants’ Experiences of Conviviality

This article focuses on the experiences of settlement among recent migrants in a super-diverse London Borough. Drawing on theories of cosmopolitanism and the notion of civility, it illustrates how the demographic super-diversity of an area, and the fact that diversity has become commonplace among local residents, facilitates newcomers’ settlement process. Not only do newcomers quickly develop a sense of belonging on the grounds of ‘not sticking out’ because of their visible or audible difference, but they also find it easier to meet people because so many people have come from elsewhere. The article develops the notion of ‘microspaces of conviviality’ where newcomers can form relations with other residents on the grounds of shared interests, educational backgrounds and sometimes shared languages. It describes these places as anchor points where more sustained and enduring relations can be formed, but also shows that only a limited number of newcomers and long-term residents actually use such spaces.