Does Segregation Reduce Socio-Spatial Mobility? Evidence from Four European Countries with Different Inequality and Segregation Contexts

Jaap Nieuwenhuis, Tiit Tammaru (), Maarten van Ham, Lina Hedman () and David Manley ()
Additional contact information
Tiit Tammaru: University of Tartu
Lina Hedman: Uppsala University
David Manley: University of Bristol

No 11123, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: The neighbourhoods in which people live reflects their social class and preferences, so studying socio-spatial mobility between neighbourhoods gives insight in the openness of spatial class structures of societies and in the ability of people to leave disadvantaged neighbourhoods. We study the extent to which people move between different types of neighbourhoods by socio-economic status in different inequality and segregation contexts in four European countries: Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Estonia. The study is based on population registers and census data for the 2001–2011 period. For the UK, which has long had high levels of social inequalities and high levels of socio-economic segregation, we find that levels of mobility between neighbourhood types are low and opportunities to move to more socio-economically advantaged neighbourhoods are modest. In Estonia, which used to be one or the most equal and least segregated countries in Europe and now is one of the most liberal and market oriented countries, we find high levels of mobility, but these reproduce segregation patterns and it is difficult to move to better neighbourhoods for those in the most deprived neighbourhoods. In the Netherlands and Sweden, where social inequalities are the smallest, it is easiest to move from the most deprived to less deprived neighbourhoods. To conclusion, the combination of high levels of social inequalities and high levels of spatial segregation tend to lead to a vicious circle of segregation for low income groups, where it is difficult to undertake both upward social mobility and upward spatial mobility.

Keywords: inequality; segregation; disadvantaged neighbourhoods; spatial mobility; social mobility; international comparison (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 J61 J62 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 21 pages
Date: 2017-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur, nep-geo and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published - published in: Urban Studies, 2020, 57 (1), 176 - 197

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Journal Article: Does segregation reduce socio-spatial mobility? Evidence from four European countries with different inequality and segregation contexts (2020)
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