Reverse diversity is a social phenomenon where majority communities live in areas dominated by minority populations, creating a unique cultural and social dynamic. These neighbourhoods reflect a blend of traditions, languages, and lifestyles, offering insights into how communities adapt, interact, and coexist. But that also affects in a person’s outlook on life and live in a bubble.
Author Manish Chauhan, who grew up in such an environment, explores these experiences in his book ‘Belgrave Road’, capturing the challenges and vibrancy of life in a multicultural setting.
Speaking to Asian Voice about the inspiration behind Belgrave Road, Manish Chauhan said two experiences shaped the book. He said, “The first was that I met a young woman who had come to England following an arranged marriage. I didn’t know much about her, other than that she wasn’t particularly educated and that she didn’t have any family of her own in the UK. Over the days that followed, I found myself thinking about her. What might become of her? What would happen if she decided she didn’t like the life she was given? How might she escape?”
He added, “The second thing that happened was that I found myself reading a lot about the migrant crossings that were taking place from Africa into Europe. I was particularly interested in exploring the reasons that compelled people to make the treacherous journey. Further, I was interested in what happened once a person reached their ‘dream destination’ and, more widely, what constituted ‘home’. Leicester, where the novel is set, is home to many such people. As the son of immigrants, I found both stories equally compelling and, after some time, noticed the narratives begin to speak to each other. When writing, I tend to start with something I am familiar with. In the case of Belgrave Road, this was the setting and my own cultural upbringing. What I then like to do is to branch out into something less familiar, the lives of Somalis in Leicester, specifically those of asylum seekers. This combination keeps the work alive as I set about answering questions and exploring issues that are on my mind. To this extent, I view writing as an act of empathy and discovery.”
“Growing up in an identity-less bubble offered empowering invisibility”
Manish emphasised that growing up in Leicester shaped his identity and inspired his writing. He said, “For many years, I had no specific identity; like my schoolmates, I blended into a sea of brown faces. In that sense, those years were empowering, allowing me to live without fear regarding my race or heritage. However, I stood out when it came to being laddish, as Leicester was traditional and non-diverse, with rigid gender roles that singled out anyone different. Perhaps being singled out turned me inward, into an observer, and eventually a writer. I initially wrote to gain popularity, but at seventeen, formal creative writing classes gave my hobby a serious direction. I was always aware of my Indianness, which shaped my early work. It was only in my twenties, after moving to London, that I could view Leicester with enough distance to set my fiction there.”
On navigating reverse diversity, Manish said, “Growing up in Leicester, I was surrounded by people of similar racial and socio-economic backgrounds. It wasn’t a diverse upbringing, but an identity-less bubble that offered a kind of empowering invisibility. As an adult, traveling and often being the only person of colour or Indian in a place has made me aware that my sense of security and happiness depends on those around me. Identity, therefore, is always evolving; anyone seeking a fixed identity for safety or freedom is likely to be disappointed.”
Manish highlighted about belonging in the UK amid anti-immigration protests, he said, “Witnessing racism is never easy, and seeing it in concentrated form is frightening. The march led by Tommy Robinson was a call to arms for me. Who decides how a country should look or what defines its culture? Cultures evolve, accumulating and shedding layers over time, so the idea of preserving one feels like a fiction born of fear. We were told to ‘go back home,’ but England is home, where many of us were born, grew up, and contributed. Watching the marchers only strengthened my voice and my sense of belonging, it is mine to define, not theirs.”
On shifts in public sentiment, he added, “I’m not sure attitudes have changed, but social media has made them more visible. Anti-immigrant sentiment has existed since the first waves of immigration. Post-Brexit policies replacing European immigrants with brown and black ones may amplify this bias. The impact on my community is complex, some immigrants voted Brexit, and others wouldn’t. Ultimately, it comes down to whether a person chooses fear or empathy.”
