Social Segregation in cities…

why can’t we all just get along?

House type and size Area Neighbours

◦ Age, ethnicity Recreational opportunities Local facilities Safety Others………

Describe where you live

We are going to look at why we live where we live

Age

Ethnicity

Wealth

Social Segregation is usually based on

Burgess model

Can you identify where groups might live on this model? Not yet? Well let’s see …………..

◦ Young graduates flock to the ‘bright lights’ of the city. Live in apartments / studio flats for one

◦ Students live close to universities in rented houses or halls of residence

◦ Elderly in sheltered housing or quiet suburbs◦ Young families in suburbs looking for a good

school, amenities and recreation◦ Wealthy ‘middle agers’ live in plush suburbs of

the commuter belt

Age

◦ Young male migrant moves to CBD for work◦ Lives close to work in small inner city housing◦ Meets up with other migrants from his home

country◦ Shared interests / culture / religion / language /

values / dress, unites them◦ Their families join them ◦ Communities are built up◦ Schools, places of worship, shops cater for the

ethnic group

Ethnicity

Ethnicity

“I knew I was black everywhere I went”

Poor areas in the Inner City with run down housing from previous industrial boom

A ‘Dead Heart’ created The jobs went but the poor can’t escape as the

work was unskilled No funding to improve the areas Areas become hot spots of crime,

unemployment, people have no incentives or aspirations to succeed

Crime rates scare rich to live in gated communities

Wealth

Burgess model

Can you identify where your groups might live on this model now?

Look at how wealth and race divided in Houston and describe what you see…

http://www.socialexplorer.com/pub/maps/map3.aspx?g=0&initSS=1.1505.-1.4036http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/income-segregation/houston/

Maps

Segregation by wealth in Houston - Radio Interview 6 mins

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=158694543&m=158694532

Houston

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eab7NoYi7U

Racial segregation in Houston

http://www.socialexplorer.com/pub/help/index.php/teaching-modules/segregation-version-2/2-compare-segregation-in-different-cities

Complete the exercises on the link.

Social segregation in Houston

Who cares?

What’s the problem with segregation?

Are some groups not better off apart?

Does it affect the City as a whole or not?

Leading questions…

The multiplier effect and the

spiral of decline

The multiplier effect is usually progressively positive.

Good housing stock……………leads to wealthy residents………………… leads to good schools …………………………leads to healthier happier and well educated children leads to………………………………………….. high end industry being attracted to the area which brings in more people…. which leads to more service industries and shops and schools to cater for them….

The Multiplier effect

Using the following as hints, can you create a spiral of decline for a poor area….

crime Poor schools Residents out of work No investment in area Low order low cost shops (dollar tree) Poor role models Low life expectancy Welfare dependent No money to ‘escape’ the trap Food shops stock poor quality quick fix food No government involvement (people feel lost) Poor exam results Health is poor negative feedback loop leads to less people aspiring to succeed Low quality housing Low aspirations

The spiral of decline

HOW CAN WE BRIDGE THE GAP?

Should we all be lone stars?

Social◦ Education ◦ Community links to jobs / work◦ Access to services

Economic◦ Minimum wage / progressive income tax

Environmental◦ Play areas / green spaces /

Political◦ Housing strategies

Solutions….mix it up?

The Move to Opportunity Scheme (USA) MTO

◦ Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, LA, NY◦ Eligibility was from neighbourhoods where 40%

were below the poverty line◦ Must have a child under 18◦ No criminal record◦ Not in debt with rental payments◦ Want to go!

Actual solutions

◦ Group 1◦ Received money if they moved to an affluent area◦ Got counseling and help with finding a home

◦ Group 2◦ Received money if the moved◦ No counseling

◦ Group 3◦ No money. Didn’t move. No change

The experiment 4,600 families

Largely positive Need to be mapped over the long term Boys and girls improved in the first instance Boys then slipped behind due to their new

peer group being too different (academics / wealth / interests)

Parents enrolled in adult education and bought cars

Managed to find work As step in the right direction???

results

Have you experienced Segregation in a city you have lived in?

If so, what have you encountered?

Do you know any solutions that have been implemented to reduce the problems created by segregation?

All about you…