Ethnic differences in urban neighbour relations in Israel

This study considers the role of ethnic differences in the relevance of the local community as a network of social relations that provide companionship, friendship and social support. Data for this study were collected from a representative sample of the population in the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-largest metropolitan area in Israel. It was found that measures of investment in the neighbourhood such as home-ownership and stage in the life-cycle were not related to the number of locally based instrumental ties. However, nationality had a negative effect. Israeli Jews reported fewer locally based instrumental ties than the Arab Israelis. The findings provide partial support for compression theory. Israeli Arabs reported a higher number of locally based instrumental social ties than Israeli Jews. Apparently their higher levels of residential segregation compressed their social relationships to the local neighbourhood more than was the case for Israeli Jews. Implications of the findings for other theoretical frameworks are discussed.