Contested Boundaries and Perceptions of Inter-ethnic Disorder

Abstract In some neighbourhoods, ethno-racial diversity promotes civility and encourages the development of inter-ethnic connections. In others, it leads to increased feelings of threat, the degradation of shared norms, and inter-ethnic conflict. Extensive research has examined the compositional effects of neighbourhoods on perceived disorder and conflict, although few studies have considered how ethno-racial neighbourhood spatial boundaries influence these associations. Drawing on the contested boundaries framework, we investigate whether ethno-racial boundaries are associated with increased perceptions of general and inter-ethnic disorder, and if they influence perceived immigrant threat and collective efficacy. We find that unclear neighbourhood boundaries significantly foster perceptions of inter-ethnic disorder and weaken collective efficacy, but do not increase perceptions of general disorder or heighten immigrant threat. Our results suggest a more nuanced understanding of neighbourhood boundaries, neighbourhood composition and inter-ethnic disorder.