The ethnic composition and population dynamics of local communities in Australia

Abstract

Superdiversity has become a popular concept to describe the cumulative impact of successive waves of migration in high immigration nations. How superdiversity impacts on local communities is less well understood. In this study, detailed ethnicity data are collected and harmonised for local communities from the Australian 2006, 2011 and 2016 Censuses. Local communities are organised into categories using an existing typology. The ethnic, economic and demographic diversity of communities are assessed, and their subsequent population dynamics are analysed. The results indicate that most minority populations in Australia live in highly mixed or majority dominated communities rather than in segmented clusters. Recent immigrants disproportionately arrive in already diverse communities, which, in addition to internal migration flows, are helping to substantially alter the ethnic composition of the local population. Important information is therefore revealed on the patterns and dynamics of local communities that are helping to shift and reproduce their populations.