Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The aim of this project was to develop knowledge of how social and personal identities are relevant to community conflict and cohesion via a study of neighbour disputes. Aiming to discover which identities appeared in people’s complaints; their salience, and their relevance to the persistence or resolution of conflict. The researchers aimed to conduct a study of neighbour disputes based on ‘naturally-occurring’ conversational data, rather than on post-hoc accounts given in research interviews and surveys. This meant finding settings where ordinary people make complaints about, and argue with, their neighbours. The researchers audio-recorded approximately 600 conversations between members of the public and professionals: (1) telephone calls to mediation centres, local council environmental health and anti-social behaviour units, and (2) police interviews with suspects in neighbourhood crime. The latter were not deposited with the UK Data Archive. Further information about the project can be found on the ESRC grant award page.

Main Topics:

Topics covered in the study included: anti-social behaviour; intimidation; disputes; boundary issues, parking, conifers, fencing; environmental issues, bonfire smoke, smell from farmers fields, flies, loud music, animals, rubbish at empty properties.

Recordings were made over a 2 year period from anyone calling centres and giving permission to be recorded

Telephone interview