Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education «Belgorod

The meaning of the terms «ethnic minority» and «national minority»

The term «ethnic minority» is used to describe an individual who belongs to an ethnic group that is marginalized by society because of social and cultural characteristics that are different from, or devalued by, the dominant ethnic or cultural group. Ethnic minorities are ethnic groups that live as a minority on the territory of a state.

At the European level, the term “national minority” is often used as an umbrella term for religious, linguistic, ethnic and cultural minorities. The term national minority is used both in the documents of the Council of Europe and in those of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). E.g., Danes in Germany, Hungarians in Romania, etc.

White British is the predominant race in UK. Whites make up the majority, about 92%. The English represent about 84%. Other nationalities of the UK are Jews, Poles, Germans, Frenchmen, Italians, migrants from India, Pakistan, African countries. Black – 2%, Indian – 1.8%, Pakistani – 1.3%, mixed – 1.2%, other – 1.6%.

Government data about the UK’s different ethnic groups

•2011 Census Data: 87% of people in the UK are White. 13% belong to Black, Asian, Mixed or other ethic group.

•2021 Census Data: 1)Asian or Asian British; 2)Indian; 3)Pakistani (Bradford in West Yorkshire is the town which is totally Pakistanian); 4)Bangladeshi; 5) Chinese; 6)any other Asian background; 7)Black, Black British, Caribbean or African; 8)Caribbean; 9)African; 10) any other Black, Black British, or Caribbean background; 11)mixed or multiple ethnic groups; 12)White and Black Caribbean; 13)White and Black African; 14)White and Asian; 15)any other Mixed or multiple ethnic background; 16)White: English, Welsh, Scottish, N.Irish or British, Irish, Gypsy or Irish traveller, Roma, any other White background; 17)Other ethnic groups: arab, any other.

The difference between «Roma» and «Gypsy»

•The term ‘Roma’ is commonly used in Europe to describe a variety of historically itinerant communities with distinct languages, cultures, religions. In the UK, policymakers and researchers use 3 umbrella terms – Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT for short).

•Gypsies – people of Romany origin who have been present in England since the XVI cent. after migrating from the Indian subcontinent to Europe in the late Middle ages.

•Roma are those who migrated to the UK from Eastern, Central European countries – from 1990 onwards. Travellers are distinguished as traditionally

nomadic people of Irish origins (non-perm resident). Irish Travellers, also known as Pavee, are the descendants of nomadic people who have traditionally inhabited Ireland and mainland Britain. Irish Travellers mainly came to England after the potato famine in the 1850s and following World War II, when men came to work as labourers and in motorway construction. Many Irish Travellers in the UK today were born in Britain, and some now speak with British regional accents. They are also recognised as an ethnic minority group and are protected under the Equality Act 2010. Irish Travellers have their own language, called Gammon or Cant, which mixes Gaelic words with English.

Reasons of migrating to the UK

The UK’s history of migration is likely to be a key contributor to current migrant inflows. Existing family and community networks in a country are thought to facilitate new migration by lowering the risks of migration and support people after they arrive. These networks can facilitate job search and lower the costs of housing and childcare. Similarly, cultural and historical links with other countries (such as former commonwealth countries) are thought to facilitate migration.

Language also plays a role. The prevalence of English as a second language around the world is likely to be an important factor in many people’s decisions to choose the UK as a destination.

Finally, UK universities and colleges are a significant reason for international migration to the UK. The UK had the second highest number of international students after the United States according to UNESCO.

Economic reasons. The UK is experiencing a shortage of labor, especially in the fields of healthcare, social services, and agriculture. Migrants are looking for employment opportunities in British companies or research institutions.

(Info from fullfact.org; first published 3 May 2015. Updated 7 June 2017)

XX century:

•First and Second World Wars

•Groups from the USA, Canada, China, India, Bangladesh, Greece, etc.