ABOUT US
Urban residential segregation and its effects on social inclusion are a main concern of contemporary urban policy. Residential segregation, or the physical separation of groups into different neighbourhoods, may have negative effects, such as decreased chances on the labour market among minority groups and other forms of social exclusion.
However, our current understanding of segregation is hindered by a lack of comparative studies on segregation levels, hindering progress in segregation research.
We propose an innovative measure of segregation, where neighbourhoods are defined from around individuals instead of being based on administrative borders. Our main contribution will be that we will be the first to present comparable segregation measures, both over time and across urban areas and countries.
Mapping the variation in geographical contexts in the urban areas in North-western Europe using comparable ethnic and socio-economic indicators will open up new possibilities for addressing questions of central importance for urban analysis and urban policies.

In this 3-year project, a team of 15 researchers spread over 5 countries will work together on this project, where we focus on 4 goals:
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Analysing the patterns of segregation using the new methodology;
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Analysing the determinants of segregation, by looking at theories about the driving forces of residential segregation;
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Examining the effects of segregation on individual outcomes, such as poverty, education and employment;
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Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions such as area-based programmes on segregation.