Social and Spatial Inequalities: mapping youth conditions and spatial practices in an Italian neighborhood

Marco Ingrassia and Davide Leone
Additional contact information
Marco Ingrassia: University of Enna “Kore”, Enna, Italy
Davide Leone: U’Game, Palermo, Italy

Sociology and Social Work Review, 2025, vol. 9, issue 1, 137-153

Abstract: The relationship between social inequalities and territorial dimensions is characterized by phenomena of interconnection, interdependence, and co-evolution: spatial factors play a decisive role in producing conditions of social marginalization and go beyond mere allocative factors, intertwining with the ways people inhabit private and public spaces. Conditions of marginalization can also be linked to a subordinate role of actors in the processes of representation and identity construction, and they are particularly significant for the adolescent and preadolescent population. This contribution describes an action research activity focusing on territorial dynamics and spatial practices related to the adolescent and preadolescent population (11-17 years old) residing in an area of the city of Palermo characterized by socio-economic distress and educational poverty. The study (i) analyzes lifestyles, forms of inhabiting, and social practices in relation to public space, semi-public space, and proximity services, as well as flows; (ii) investigates the role of spatial factors in perpetuating or overcoming conditions of marginalization; and (iii) identifies ongoing processes and transformations at the local scale and in relation to the broader urban and metropolitan context. The research combines the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, collected through an innovative methodology that integrates morphological analysis and gamified participatory exploration to support participant observation and unstructured interviews. The research results are presented through thematic maps, both to make the complexity of the results accessible to the broad audience of territorial actors involved in future actions and to support a new participatory representation of the territory. The findings show a close connection between social and spatial inequalities and their capacity to influence the perpetuation of marginalization conditions. Nevertheless, there is evidence of grassroots advocacy by the engaged youth through practices of appropriation and placemaking. The research provides reflections on methodological tools and a complex reading of the territory capable of supporting future regeneration actions.

Keywords: Public Space; Inequalities; Mapping; Adolescence; Mapping; Gamification; Participation; Participant Observation; Action-Research; Territorial analysis. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 I38 K14 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://globalresearchpublishing.com/wp-content/up ... ian-neighborhood.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:edr:sswrgl:v:9:y:2025:i:1:p:137-153

Access Statistics for this article

Sociology and Social Work Review is currently edited by Serban Ionut

More articles in Sociology and Social Work Review from International Society for projects in Education and Research
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Serban Ionut ().