Immigration, Ethnic Residential Segregation or (vs.) Socioeconomic Integration in Urban Areas

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Community and Urban Sociology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2024) | Viewed by 20450

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Italian National Institute of Statistics, 00144 Rome, Italy
Interests: applied demography; human ecology; internal migration; international migration; spatial analysis (and geographic information); state and local demography; urbanization

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Guest Editor
Department of Geography, History and Philosophy, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013 Seville, Spain
Interests: metropolitan area; residential segregation; residential mobility; immigration; Xenophobia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Napoli, NA, Italy
Interests: international migration and foreign immigration in Italy; migration and integration in Europe; quantitative research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the end of the 20th century, the management of the economic markets has been rigorously and uncritically governed by the guidelines of the neo-liberal socio-economic model. This has resulted in a series of cyclical crises, loss of importance of the state as a regulator of social imbalances and, therefore, an accentuation of social polarisation processes (e.g., Harvey 2005; Piketty 2020; Talen and Anselin 2021). A key issue that has characterised this process is the increasing speculation in housing and its deregulation (Rodríguez-Pose and Storper 2020). The result of both aspects is the emergence of important processes in residential segregation (Monkkonen et al. 2018; van Ham et al. 2021). Clearly, residential segregation has hit the most socially vulnerable groups the hardest. In this sense, one of the groups characterised by the highest degree of socio-economic vulnerability is the population of foreign and migrant origin, especially those of non-Western origin (Benassi and Iglesias-Pascual 2022). Their weak status in the housing market usually leads them to live in poorer neighbourhoods, thus, determining their social and territorial integration process (Imeraj et al. 2020; Leclerc 2021). Starting from the premise that the notions of segregation and integration are highly dependent on the particular social group under investigation (Krysan et al. 2017), recent studies have focused on how to measure segregation in a context of increasing multi-ethnicity and its relationship with income differences (e.g., Benassi et al 2022), the relationship between segregation, education and integration of migrants (e.g., Bayona and Domingo 2021; Kauppinen et al. 2022), the dimension of environmental quality in migrant segregation (e.g., Ard et al. 2021; Martori et al. 2022) and the role of scale for analysing segregation (e.g., Marcińczak et al. 2021).

Following the recent trend in the scientific literature and adding new focuses of interest, this monographic Issue in Social Sciences proposes at least the following issues of research on the segregation and integration of the migrant population:

  1. Measuring residential segregation: new approaches and challenges.
  2. Residential segregation, migration and access to real estate market and social infrastructure as an indicator of social integration.
  3. Immigration, residential segregation and school failure.
  4. Ethnic residential segregation and environmental quality.
  5. Cities, touristification and residential segregation of the migrant population. The social invisibility of the labour force. 

References

Ard, Kerry, Dax Fisher-Garibay, and Daphney Bonner. 2021. Particulate Matter Exposure across Latino Ethnicities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(10): 5186. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105186

Bayona‐i‐Carrasco, Jordi, and Andreu Domingo. 2021. School segregation of migrants and their descendants in a dual school system: The case of Barcelona. Population, Space and Place 27(8): e2446.

Benassi, Federico, and Ricardo Iglesias-Pascual. 2022. Local-scale residential concentration and income inequalities of the main foreign-born population groups in the Spanish urban space. Reaffirming the model of a divided city. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies: 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2022.2067137

Benassi, Federico, Alessia Naccarato, Ricardo Iglesias-Pascual, and Luca Salvati, Salvatore Strozza. 2022. Measuring residential segregation in multi‐ethnic and unequal European cities. International Migration. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13018

Harvey, David. (2005). From globalization to the new imperialism. Critical globalization studies 91: 100.

Imeraj, Lena, Nissa Finney, and Sylvie Gadeyne. 2020. Demographic dynamics across urban settings and implications for ethnic geographies. Population Space and Place 27(3): e2391. https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2391

Kauppinen, Timo M., Maarten van Ham, and Venla Bernelius. 2022. Understanding the effects of school catchment areas and households with children in ethnic residential segregation. Housing Studies 37(9): 1625-1649, DOI: 10.1080/02673037.2020.1857707

Krysan, Maria, Courtney Carter, and Marieke Van Londen. 2017. The Diversity of Integration in a Multiethnic Metropolis: Exploring What Whites, African Americans, and Latinos Imagine. Du Bois Review 14(1): 35–71.

Leclerc, Christophe. 2021. Immigrants’ earnings and neighbourhood economic wealth: the conditioning role of citizenship. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 48(7): 1591-1609. DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2021.1971958

Marcińczak, Szymon, Veronika Mooses, Magnus Strömgren, and Tiit Tammaru. 2021. A comparative study of immigrant-native segregation at multiple spatial scales in urban Europe. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies: 1-23. DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2021.2008887

Martori, Joan Carles, Raymond Lagonigro, and Ricardo Iglesias-Pascual. 2022. Social status and air quality in Barcelona: A socio-ecological approach. Sustainable Cities and Society: 104210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.104210

Monkkonen, Paavo, Andre Comandon, Jorge Alberto Montejano Escamilla, Erick Guerra. 2018. Urban Sprawl and the Growing Geographic Scale of Segregation in Mexico, 1990–2010. Habitat International 73: 89–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2017.12.003

Piketty, Thomas. 2020. Capital and ideology. Boston: Harvard University Press.

Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, and Michael Storper. 2020. Housing, urban growth and inequalities: The limits to deregulation and upzoning in reducing economic and spatial inequality. Urban Studies 57(2): 223–248. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098019859458

Talen, Emily, and Luc Anselin. 2021. City cents: Tracking the spatial imprint of urban public expenditures. Cities 108: 102962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102962.

Van Ham, Maarten, Tiit Tammaru, Rūta Ubarevičienė, and Heleen Janssen. 2021. Urban socio-economic segregation and income inequality: A global perspective. Berlin: Springer Nature.

Dr. Federico Benassi
Dr. Ricardo Iglesias-Pascual
Prof. Dr. Salvatore Strozza
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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21 pages, 2465 KiB  
Article
Migration and Segregated Spaces: Analysis of Qualitative Sources Such as Wikipedia Using Artificial Intelligence
by Javier López-Otero, Ángel Obregón-Sierra and Antonio Gavira-Narváez
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 664; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120664 - 11 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1200
Abstract
The scientific literature on residential segregation in large metropolitan areas highlights various explanatory factors, including economic, social, political, landscape, and cultural elements related to both migrant and local populations. This paper contrasts the impact of these factors individually, such as the immigrant rate [...] Read more.
The scientific literature on residential segregation in large metropolitan areas highlights various explanatory factors, including economic, social, political, landscape, and cultural elements related to both migrant and local populations. This paper contrasts the impact of these factors individually, such as the immigrant rate and neighborhood segregation. To achieve this, a machine learning analysis was conducted on a sample of neighborhoods in the main Spanish metropolitan areas (Madrid and Barcelona), using a database created from a combination of official statistical sources and textual sources, such as Wikipedia. These texts were transformed into indexes using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and other artificial intelligence algorithms capable of interpreting images and converting them into indexes. The results indicate that the factors influencing immigrant concentration and segregation differ significantly, with crucial roles played by the urban landscape, population size, and geographic origin. While land prices showed a relationship with immigrant concentration, their effect on segregation was mediated by factors such as overcrowding, social support networks, and landscape degradation. The novel application of AI and big data, particularly through ChatGPT and Google Street View, has enhanced model predictability, contributing to the scientific literature on segregated spaces. Full article
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17 pages, 1584 KiB  
Article
Race/Ethnicity and Homeownership in an Emerging Immigrant Gateway of the US Southeast: A Neighborhood Scale Analysis
by Madhuri Sharma
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(11), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13110624 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 757
Abstract
Owning a home has become a distant, often unattainable dream for many Americans since the 2007–2009 recession. The shortage of homes has decreased affordability, forcing 43 million U.S. households to become renters rather than owners. Racially targeted policies and widespread discrimination, coupled with [...] Read more.
Owning a home has become a distant, often unattainable dream for many Americans since the 2007–2009 recession. The shortage of homes has decreased affordability, forcing 43 million U.S. households to become renters rather than owners. Racially targeted policies and widespread discrimination, coupled with neoliberal urban renewal policies, have forced communities of color, especially immigrants and the foreign-born, at the greatest disadvantage in homeownership. This paper examines tract-scale disparities in homeownership across major racial/ethnic groups. Using the U.S. Census Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) 2019 definition of the 13-county-metropolitan statistical area (MSA) of Nashville, Tennessee, as the study area, I use five-year American Community Survey (ACS) (2015–2019) data estimates to examine the spatial disparity in homeownership and its predictors. Nashville MSA is one of the fastest-growing southern gateways, and it is also the largest, most diverse, and most intermixed metropolis in Tennessee. It contains higher than the state’s overall share of foreign-born, and during 2019–2040, its share of immigrants is projected to grow by 40.7%, making it the best-suited laboratory for race/immigrant-focused research on housing. This analysis finds significant differences in race-based mean per-capita income, with Whites ($32,522) and Asians ($32,556) at the top, whereas Blacks ($25,062) and Hispanics ($20,091) are at the lowest. The ratio of race-based per-capita-income-versus-median housing values is the highest for Whites (15.19) and Asians (15.07) and the lowest for Blacks (11.49) and Hispanics (9.27), putting these two groups as the most disadvantaged regarding their affordability. Regression models suggest lower White homeownership in higher diversity tracts among foreign-born-not-citizens (FBNCs), whereas Black and Hispanic homeownerships are higher in tracts with higher diversity among FBNCs. Interestingly, Asian homeownership is high in tracts with high-income Black tracts, pointing toward the increasing significance of class. Full article
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23 pages, 3967 KiB  
Article
Drawing a Long Shadow: Analyzing Spatial Segregation of Afghan Immigrants in Tehran
by Noureddin Farash, Rasoul Sadeghi and Hamidreza Rabiei-Dastjerdi
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(11), 611; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13110611 - 11 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1225
Abstract
Although recent dramatic political changes in Afghanistan have brought that country to global attention, migration from Afghanistan to Iran has a long history. Nearly three quarters of Afghan immigrants in Iran are located in cities, particularly in Tehran’s metropolitan area. However, despite the [...] Read more.
Although recent dramatic political changes in Afghanistan have brought that country to global attention, migration from Afghanistan to Iran has a long history. Nearly three quarters of Afghan immigrants in Iran are located in cities, particularly in Tehran’s metropolitan area. However, despite the long-term presence of Afghan immigrants in Iran, research on patterns and drivers of spatial segregation of immigrants has been very limited. The research method involves a secondary analysis of census data. Therefore, this article utilizes 2006 Iran census tract data to examine patterns of spatial segregation of Afghan immigrants in the Tehran metropolis. The required data for two-group segregation indices, Getis–Ord statistics, and Geographically Weighted Regression, were analyzed as a map using ArcMap and Geo-Segregation Analyzer. The results reveal that the spatial segregation of Afghans is high and that most live in lower-SES census tracts. Multivariable analyses indicate that the extent of segregation can be explained by education, job class, and generation status. It can be concluded that generational transition and access to human capital have reduced various indicators of spatial segregation of Afghan immigrants in Tehran. Full article
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19 pages, 24642 KiB  
Article
Exploring Urban Socio-Spatial Disparities in Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle upon Tyne Metropolitan Areas
by Antonio De Falco
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(11), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13110581 - 28 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1154
Abstract
In recent decades, rising social disparities in European cities have structured new forms of urban inequalities. Employing an innovative analysis approach based on statistical, geographical, and spatial methods, this paper aims to explore the social geography of population groups in Liverpool, Manchester, and [...] Read more.
In recent decades, rising social disparities in European cities have structured new forms of urban inequalities. Employing an innovative analysis approach based on statistical, geographical, and spatial methods, this paper aims to explore the social geography of population groups in Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle upon Tyne by examining how the spatial distribution of socio-economic groups intersects with urban settlements of the resident foreign population. The study addresses methodological challenges in segregation measurement while shedding light on existing spatial patterns of vulnerable groups and emerging trajectories of residential segregation at the metropolitan scale, utilising the most recent UK Census data. Full article
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24 pages, 7375 KiB  
Article
The Internal Socio-Economic Polarization of Urban Neighborhoods: The Case of the Municipality of Nice
by Argyro Gripsiou
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(10), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13100559 - 19 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1330
Abstract
In continuity with the research on social segregation and the phenomenon of urban gentrification, this article examines the cohabitation patterns of populations with diametrically opposed incomes within the same neighborhood, typically observed in the city center. This phenomenon is defined here as internal [...] Read more.
In continuity with the research on social segregation and the phenomenon of urban gentrification, this article examines the cohabitation patterns of populations with diametrically opposed incomes within the same neighborhood, typically observed in the city center. This phenomenon is defined here as internal socio-economic polarization. It is measured through the combination of two original indexes (poverty and wealth indexes) constructed based on income deciles per consumption unit for the year of 2017. The analysis focuses on the municipality of Nice, characterized by a low demographic dynamic, a relative concentration of seniors, and a strong tourist attractiveness, particularly in the highly polarized neighborhoods that occupy almost the entire city center. This study is complemented by a principal component analysis summarizing the characteristics of the population and housing stock in the neighborhoods of Nice. The main objective of this research is to identify and locate polarized neighborhoods within the urban context of Nice, to analyze the distinctive traits of their population and housing stock, and, finally, to highlight potential trends in the population’s socio-economic status. Moreover, the economic trajectories of polarized neighborhoods, in connection with their population and housing characteristics (such as the secondary use of a portion of the housing stock, often low-quality old buildings, social housing, and the overrepresentation of retirees), help explain the forms of socio-economic polarization observed in these neighborhoods (such as the indications of gentrification, unfinished gentrification, and sustainable cohabitation). Full article
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13 pages, 5361 KiB  
Article
Ethnic Residential Segregation: Evidence from Two Italian Functional Urban Areas
by Luca Daconto and Maria Grazia Montesano
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(8), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13080416 - 8 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1149
Abstract
This article aims to update the analysis of the residential segregation of the foreign population in European cities by considering the most recent 2021 census data for two different Italian metropolitan areas, Milan and Bologna. The diachronic analysis (2001–2021) of several indices of [...] Read more.
This article aims to update the analysis of the residential segregation of the foreign population in European cities by considering the most recent 2021 census data for two different Italian metropolitan areas, Milan and Bologna. The diachronic analysis (2001–2021) of several indices of residential segregation (i.e., dissimilarity index, two group and multigroup; location quotient; and kernel density estimation) at the metropolitan scale (i.e., functional urban area) will contribute to the debate on the residential settlement patterns of foreign populations, highlighting the specificities of Southern European cities. Despite the significant differences between the two cities considered, the same desegregation trends (i.e., reduction in segregation indices) are identified in both cases. The results show a decrease in residential segregation over time in both core and commuting areas. Furthermore, phenomena of peripheralisation related to overrepresentation in metropolitan municipalities emerge, although core areas remain where the foreign population is most concentrated. The complexity and ambivalence of residential dynamics in the two cases suggest that residential segregation can also take “unusual forms” in Southern European cities that are not always related to the macro-concentration phenomena. In this sense, the “urban diaspora” hypothesis seems to be a suitable concept for capturing the new distributional trend of the foreign population in the Southern European context. Full article
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21 pages, 1030 KiB  
Article
Individual Attitudes and Settlement Perspectives of Refugees in Greece: The Case of Samos Island
by Kostas Rontos, Luca Salvati, Nikolaos Panagos and Maria Kourmoulaki
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(7), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13070353 - 30 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1041
Abstract
Expanding refugee influxes have involved a rising number of European countries in recent years. In this context, our study investigates attitudes of international protection seekers regarding their prospects of staying permanently in a transit country such as Greece. This research was based on [...] Read more.
Expanding refugee influxes have involved a rising number of European countries in recent years. In this context, our study investigates attitudes of international protection seekers regarding their prospects of staying permanently in a transit country such as Greece. This research was based on primary statistical data collected through the dissemination of structured questionnaires from a sample of refugees from the Closed Controlled Facility of Samos island, Eastern Greece, one of the most attended gates allowing access to Europe from Turkey and the Middle East. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics and results from a logistic regression contributed to the examination of factors that simultaneously determine the will of the refugees to stay in Greece instead of moving to another country. The main reasons they want to stay in Greece are primarily for employment opportunities and a better quality of life. They aspire to learn Greek to integrate better into the local society, actively seeking this skill from their initial arrival. However, their social integration into the local host community cannot be achieved effectively at the current time due to the absence of appropriate strategies at the local/regional levels. The need for employment (expressed by attempts to find work), the quality of life (access to public and private services), the country of origin, marital status and, finally, the sense of safety based on the existence (or, conversely, lack) of xenophobic and racist incidents are the main reasons that simultaneously determine their decision to stay permanently in Greece. Full article
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16 pages, 1039 KiB  
Article
Exploring Neighbourhood Integration Dynamics of Sri Lankan Entrepreneurs in Rione Sanità, Naples
by Maria Camilla Fraudatario
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020087 - 30 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1679
Abstract
Integration is always at the core of migration studies and is examined from various theoretical perspectives. While integration models are valuable for understanding how national political systems influence the integration of foreigners into society, the real challenge of integration manifests at the local [...] Read more.
Integration is always at the core of migration studies and is examined from various theoretical perspectives. While integration models are valuable for understanding how national political systems influence the integration of foreigners into society, the real challenge of integration manifests at the local level. From a neighbourhood-based approach, this article addresses the integration trajectories of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs in Rione Sanità, Naples, which is a socio-economically deprived neighbourhood hosting a substantial segment of foreign populations and has been the target of significant urban regeneration initiatives over the past decade. Sri Lankans established travel agencies, fiscal assistance centres, restaurants, takeaways, and retailers in a transformative context. This article highlights how entrepreneurial initiatives are shaped by the mutual connection linking immigrants with the place where they found economic and relational opportunities. The results serve as a crucial starting point for better understanding the long-term outcomes of the socio-economic integration at the neighbourhood level. Full article
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15 pages, 1400 KiB  
Article
Analyzing the Impact of Public Housing Privatization on Immigrant Micro-Segregation in Milan
by Igor Costarelli
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100565 - 10 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2113
Abstract
In several Western European countries, a significant share of social rental housing stock has been sold since the 1980s as part of government policies aimed at promoting homeownership societies. Research has shown that tenure conversion has contributed to increasing socio-spatial segregation of lower-income [...] Read more.
In several Western European countries, a significant share of social rental housing stock has been sold since the 1980s as part of government policies aimed at promoting homeownership societies. Research has shown that tenure conversion has contributed to increasing socio-spatial segregation of lower-income groups, with diverging spatial patterns of homeownership among immigrants. This paper examines the impact of recent public housing privatization schemes in Milan in relation to micro-segregation and peripheralization processes of foreign populations, which represent distinctive features of immigrant residential distribution in this city. By employing name analysis, an unconventional approach in segregation studies, I inferred the geographical origins of homebuyers and mapped their distribution across the city. The findings reveal divergent purchasing behaviors, whereby Italians predominantly acquire properties in semi-central areas currently undergoing urban regeneration. In contrast, immigrants tend to concentrate their acquisitions in peripheral post-war public housing neighborhoods or in areas predominantly inhabited by residents with similar geographical origins. This paper contributes to the existing literature on ethnic residential segregation in Southern European cities by shedding light on the underexplored role of public housing privatization policies in shaping specific residential patterns and housing outcomes among different groups. Full article
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16 pages, 1979 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Settlement Models of the Main Foreign Communities Residing in Italy (2003–2021)
by Cinzia Conti, Massimo Mucciardi and Maura Simone
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(9), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090524 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1718
Abstract
In the last few decades, the foreign resident population in Italy has grown considerably, showing a tendency towards a stable settlement. The spatial distribution of this population is an important key to better understanding the integration process in the host society. This paper [...] Read more.
In the last few decades, the foreign resident population in Italy has grown considerably, showing a tendency towards a stable settlement. The spatial distribution of this population is an important key to better understanding the integration process in the host society. This paper aims to explore the diachronic evolution of the settlement models of the foreign population and the main ethnic groups usually classified as residents in Italy in the period 2003–2021. Towards this aim, we computed statistical global indices referring to evenness, concentration, and clustering dimension of residential segregation and ad hoc indices that regard territorial dimensions. One of the major novelties of the contribution lies in the attempt to compute these indices not only in reference to the major population group—i.e., the Italians—but also between foreign communities and considering the gender structure. The indices are then synthesised by a multivariate analysis (principal component analysis and cluster analysis). The results of this study show that (a) higher differences in terms of settlement models are found by comparing different minority groups rather than by comparing minorities to Italians; (b) the settlement models of each foreign citizenship remain almost stable over time despite their growth in both absolute and relative terms. Full article
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29 pages, 7290 KiB  
Article
Framing the Residential Patterns of Asian Communities in Three Italian Cities: Evidence from Milan, Rome, and Naples
by Francesca Bitonti, Federico Benassi, Angelo Mazza and Salvatore Strozza
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(9), 480; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090480 - 29 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1788
Abstract
Today, the interplay between economic inequality, international migration, and urban transformation has raised awareness about segregation and its social implications on a global and European scale. As cities become home to diverse populations with various backgrounds including social, racial, ethnic, and cultural, the [...] Read more.
Today, the interplay between economic inequality, international migration, and urban transformation has raised awareness about segregation and its social implications on a global and European scale. As cities become home to diverse populations with various backgrounds including social, racial, ethnic, and cultural, the proximity of these groups becomes more pronounced. This article explores the residential segregation of four Asian immigrant groups in three major Italian cities: Milan, Rome, and Naples. Using data from the 2011 Italian General Population Census and employing an areal weighted interpolation procedure, the study measures segregation using both traditional two-group indices and multi-group indices that account for the complexities of contemporary societies. The results indicate a north–south disparity, with Naples exhibiting the highest levels of residential segregation. Among the analysed immigrant groups, Bangladeshis and Chinese tended to be more self-segregated, while Filipinos and Sri Lankans were relatively more dispersed. This research underscores the necessity for a nuanced understanding of segregation dynamics and the adoption of appropriate approaches to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the coexistence of diverse groups in urban areas. By contributing to the existing literature on residential segregation in Southern Europe, this study sheds light on the spatial patterns and social dynamics of different ethnic groups in Italian cities. Full article
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22 pages, 2168 KiB  
Case Report
Toward a ‘Migrant Trap’? Local Development, Urban Sustainability, Sociodemographic Inequalities, and the Economic Decline in a Mediterranean Metropolis
by Mariateresa Ciommi, Gianluca Egidi, Ioannis Vardopoulos, Francesco Maria Chelli and Luca Salvati
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12010026 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3320
Abstract
After years following the breakdown of the Great Recession in Europe, crisis-driven urban shrinkage can be adequately investigated considering changes over time in selected demographic indicators, with a specific focus on migration. Using official statistics and a literature review, the present study documents [...] Read more.
After years following the breakdown of the Great Recession in Europe, crisis-driven urban shrinkage can be adequately investigated considering changes over time in selected demographic indicators, with a specific focus on migration. Using official statistics and a literature review, the present study documents the inherent demographic decline in metropolitan Athens (Greece) as a response to economic stagnation after a long-lasting expansion. The empirical results of our study delineate metropolitan shrinkage in Southern Europe as a process associated with complex socioeconomic conditions leading to (possibly counterintuitive) demographic outcomes as far as migration trends are concerned. Recession has determined unsustainable economic conditions especially for non-native population segments, promoting both class and ethnic segregation. The negative migration balance in the 2010s led to an intense population decline hitting settlements made already demographically fragile because of low fertility and aging. Athens became a sort of ‘migrant trap’, being progressively unattractive for incoming migration flows—both internal and international—and losing an increasingly high number of non-native residents settling in the area, especially during the ‘gold’ decade of the 2004 Olympics. A sudden reduction in immigration rates reflected both economic (recession) and non-economic (population aging, fertility reduction, and childbearing postponement) factors, causing an incipient shrinkage after secular urban growth. The empirical results of our study add to the traditional literature on ‘industrial cities shrinkage’ in Europe and contribute to (re)formulate short- and medium-term development scenarios in large agglomerations, shedding further light on the role of migration in crisis-driven processes of urban decline in Mediterranean Europe. Full article
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