Whether it is during work hours, or whether it extends to the social life, UAE residents from different cultures interact with one another at some point of their daily life.
The UAE houses expatriates who come from nearly 200 countries. This makes it a global hub. But are people mixing frequently or do the various nationalities stick to their own?
Many expatriates have lived here for numerous years. Some are newcomers. How do they find life in the UAE? Is it easy to integrate with other nationalities? And what do UAE nationals think of the general treatment in their society?
Another linked topic is racism. Does it exist in the UAE? Obviously, one's background should influence his/her perception.
UAE residents believe expatriates integrate easily and readily into the general public, at work and socially. They also think that it is incorrect to place emphasis on the nationality of a person in social activities, employment opportunities and salary packages, though a closer look at the nationality of these people reveals a pronounced difference in opinion.
Racism is also addressed; two-thirds of UAE residents think it exists here. This is one of the conclusions from the latest Gulf News/YouGov survey carried out in July. Seven hundred and two residents throughout the UAE answered our questionnaire. The sample was reflective of the UAE's demographics. Here are some of the findings:
There is a consensus amongst our respondents that expatriates living in the UAE prefer to mix with their own nationality — although many Arab respondents feel expatriates also like to mix with a particular nationality (not including their own). The latter perception is possibly due to the fact that Arab expatriates find it easier to integrate with other Arabs because of their shared common background and language.
What happens if we reverse the question? Who do Gulf nationals most prefer to mix with? Seven out of 10 Arab and Asian respondents say Gulf nationals preferred to mix with their own nationality. Moreover, an overwhelming 9 out of 10 Westerners think this is also the case. But UAE nationals are less insistent on this; more than half of them feel they (or other Gulf nationals) like to mix either with a particular nationality or with any nationality. The rest, agree with the other respondents.
Currently, UAE residents feel there are many restrictions to integrating expatriates into Gulf countries. First on the list is cultural difference and this is especially the case amongst Western expatriates. Asian expatriates worry about language barriers and financial status, citing them as main barriers to integration. Arabs point to religious differences as a major reason for lack of cultural integration.
Background
Other restrictions which amply feature in the listings are: nationality differences, legal and government barriers and difference in education levels.
It seems people's background is on the minds of many. When asked if respondents ever made a decision taking into consideration (either consciously or not) the nationality of a person, many said yes. Nearly 7 out of 10 Western respondents were amongst those respondents.
The number was much less amongst Asian respondents with nearly 60 per cent saying they have never taken into consideration people's nationalities when acting on something.
But is it correct to place an emphasis on nationality when it comes to social activities? Most of our respondents say no. When it comes to employment opportunities and salary packages however, one third of UAE nationals feel it is correct. By contrast, 9 out of 10 Asians are against it. Arab and Western respondents also echo this sentiment.
These feelings of cynicism extend beyond this subject and might elucidate why many UAE residents say they've experienced racism either at work or socially. Asian respondents are the most opinionated on this, with nearly 8 out of 10 citing personal brushes with racism.
That said, however, signs of social tolerance are still evident with only a small minority (17 per cent) of all respondents claiming they would be displeased if a member of their family were to marry someone from a different nationality.
