Quantifying the Spatial and Demographic Scales of Segregation

Abstract: Cities around the world exhibit residential segregation along ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, and other social divides. As high-resolution demographic and spatial data become widely available, decomposable measures have become essential tools for understanding the multi-scale structure of segregation. In this paper, we introduce a framework that quantifies how much segregation is expressed at different spatial and demographic scales. Extending existing spatial decompositions, our approach also measures the internal segregation of broad demographic groups, enabling a joint assessment of geographic and demographic structure. We illustrate the usefulness of this framework with a case study of ethnic residential segregation in England and Wales. Our methods provide a flexible, general tool for identifying the scales at which segregation operates and for guiding multi-scale models of urban systems.