Racial ethnic segregation

Date and country of first publication

1985
United States

Definition

At its current state, this definition has been generated by a Large Language Model (LLM) so far without review by an independent researcher or a member of the curating team of segregation experts that keep the Segregation Wiki online. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its reliability, completeness and timeliness. Please use this content with caution and verify information as needed. Also, feel free to improve on the definition as you see fit, including the use of references and other informational resources. We value your input in enhancing the quality and accuracy of the definitions of segregation forms collectively offered in the Segregation Wiki ©.

Racial/ethnic segregation refers to the separation of individuals or groups based on their race or ethnicity. This can manifest in various ways, such as separate neighborhoods, schools, or workplaces that are predominantly populated by one racial or ethnic group. Racial/ethnic segregation can result from historical discrimination, social policies, economic inequality, and personal preferences. It can have negative effects on social cohesion, economic opportunities, and overall well-being of individuals and communities. Efforts to address racial/ethnic segregation often involve policies aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Further reading

Hwang S.-S.; Murdock S.H.; Parpia B.; Hamm R.R. (1985) "The Effects of Race and Socioeconomic Status on Residential Segregation in Texas, 1970 80", Social Forces, 63(3), pp. 732-747. Oxford University Press. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1093/sf/63.3.732 10.1093/sf/63.3.732]

Aneshensel C.S.; Sucoff C.A. (1996) "The Neighborhood Context of Adolescent Mental Health", Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 37(4), pp. 293-310. American Sociological Association. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.2307/2137258 10.2307/2137258]

Massey D.S.; Fischer M.J. (1999) "Does rising income bring integration? New results for Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians in 1990", Social Science Research, 28(3), pp. 316-326. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1006/ssre.1999.0660 10.1006/ssre.1999.0660]

James J. (2000) "The dysfunctional and the disappearing: Democracy, race and imprisonment", Social Identities, 6(4), pp. 483-492. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/13504630020026422 10.1080/13504630020026422]

Massey D.S.; Fischer M.J. (2000) "How segregation concentrates poverty", Ethnic and Racial Studies, 23(4), pp. 670-691. Routledge. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/01419870050033676 10.1080/01419870050033676]

Rosenbaum E.; Argeros G. (2005) "Holding the line: Housing turnover and the persistence of racial/ethnic segregation in New York City", Journal of Urban Affairs, 27(3), pp. 261-281. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/j.0735-2166.2005.00236.x 10.1111/j.0735-2166.2005.00236.x]

Masi C.M.; Hawkley L.C.; Harry Piotrowski Z.; Pickett K.E. (2007) "Neighborhood economic disadvantage, violent crime, group density, and pregnancy outcomes in a diverse, urban population", Social Science and Medicine, 65(12), pp. 2440-2457. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.07.014 10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.07.014]

Chung S.-Y.; Brown L.A. (2007) "Racial/ethnic residential sorting in spatial context: Testing the explanatory frameworks", Urban Geography, 28(4), pp. 312-339. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.2747/0272-3638.28.4.312 10.2747/0272-3638.28.4.312]

Thomas M.E. (2008) "The paradoxes of personhood: Banal multiculturalism and racial ethnic identification among Latina and Armenian girls at a Los Angeles high school", Environment and Planning A, 40(12), pp. 2864-2878. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1068/a40141 10.1068/a40141]

Queneau H. (2009) "Trends in occupational segregation by race and ethnicity in the USA: Evidence from detailed data", Applied Economics Letters, 16(13), pp. 1347-1350. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/13504850701367346 10.1080/13504850701367346]

Gurin P.; Gurin G.; Matlock J.; Wade-Golden K. (2009) "Commonality in values across the racial divide", Twenty-First Century Color Lines: Multiracial Change in Contemporary America, 235-257. Temple University Press. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

Massey D.S.; Rothwell J.; Domina T. (2009) "The changing bases of segregation in the United States", Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 626(1), pp. 74-90. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/0002716209343558 10.1177/0002716209343558]

Feldmeyer B. (2010) "The Effects Of Racial/Ethnic Segregation On Latino And Black Homicide", Sociological Quarterly, 51(4), pp. 600-623. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2010.01185.x 10.1111/j.1533-8525.2010.01185.x]

Aneshensel C.S.; Ko M.J.; Chodosh J.; Wight R.G. (2011) "The urban neighborhood and cognitive functioning in late middle age", Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 52(2), pp. 163-179. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510393974 10.1177/0022146510393974]

Ryabov I. (2011) "Adolescent academic outcomes in school context: Network effects Reexamined", Journal of Adolescence, 34(5), pp. 915-927. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.12.004 10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.12.004]

Short J.R. (2011) "Liquid city: Megalopolis and the contemporary Northeast", Liquid City: Megalopolis and the Contemporary Northeast, 1-188. Taylor and Francis. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.4324/9781936331109 10.4324/9781936331109]

Borrell L.N.; Kiefe C.I.; Diez-Roux A.V.; Williams D.R.; Gordon-Larsen P. (2013) "Racial discrimination, racial/ethnic segregation, and health behaviors in the CARDIA study", Ethnicity and Health, 18(3), pp. 227-243. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2012.713092 10.1080/13557858.2012.713092]

Sharp G.; Iceland J. (2013) "The residential segregation patterns of whites by socioeconomic status, 2000 2011", Social Science Research, 42(4), pp. 1046-1060. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2013.03.007 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2013.03.007]

Stroub K.J.; Richards M.P. (2013) "From Resegregation to Reintegration: Trends in the Racial/Ethnic Segregation of Metropolitan Public Schools, 1993 2009", American Educational Research Journal, 50(3), pp. 497-531. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.3102/0002831213478462 10.3102/0002831213478462]

Yi S.S.; Ruff R.R.; Jung M.; Waddell E.N. (2014) "Racial/ethnic residential segregation, neighborhood poverty and urinary biomarkers of diet in New York City adults", Social Science and Medicine, 122(), pp. 122-129. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.030 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.030]

Richards M.P. (2014) "The Gerrymandering of School Attendance Zones and the Segregation of Public Schools: A Geospatial Analysis", American Educational Research Journal, 51(6), pp. 1119-1157. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.3102/0002831214553652 10.3102/0002831214553652]

Smith B.W.; Holmes M.D. (2014) "Police use of excessive force in minority communities: A test of the minority threat, place, and community accountability hypotheses", Social Problems, 61(1), pp. 83-104. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1525/sp.2013.12056 10.1525/sp.2013.12056]

Richards M.P.; Stroub K.J. (2014) "The fragmentation of metropolitan public school districts and the segregation of American schools: A longitudinal analysis", Teachers College Record, 116(12), pp. -. Teachers College, Columbia University. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

Gibbons J.; Yang T.-C. (2014) "Self rated health and residential segregation: How does race/ethnicity matter?", Journal of Urban Health, 91(4), pp. 648-660. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-013-9863-2 10.1007/s11524-013-9863-2]

Wong D.W.; Strang G.; Tang W.-Y.; Wu W. (2015) "How ethnically diverse can a "Chinese City" be? the case of Hong Kong", Eurasian Geography and Economics, 56(3), pp. 331-355. Routledge. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2015.1091366 10.1080/15387216.2015.1091366]

Gibbons J. (2015) "Does racial segregation make community based organizations more territorial? Evidence from Newark, Nj, and Jersey City, Nj", Journal of Urban Affairs, 37(5), pp. 600-619. Taylor and Francis Ltd.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/juaf.12170 10.1111/juaf.12170]

Ryabov I. (2016) "Examining the role of residential segregation in explaining racial/ethnic gaps in spending on fruit and vegetables", Appetite, 98(), pp. 74-79. Academic Press. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.12.024 10.1016/j.appet.2015.12.024]

Gibbons J.; Yang T.-C. (2016) "Connecting Across the Divides of Race/Ethnicity: How Does Segregation Matter?", Urban Affairs Review, 52(4), pp. 531-558. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/1078087415589193 10.1177/1078087415589193]

Stroub K.J.; Richards M.P. (2017) "Suburbanizing segregation? Changes in racial/ethnic diversity and the geographic distribution of metropolitan school segregation, 2002 2012", Teachers College Record, 119(7), pp. 1-40. Teachers College, Columbia University. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

D'Agostino E.M.; Patel H.H.; Ahmed Z.; Hansen E.; Sunil Mathew M.; Nardi M.I.; Messiah S.E. (2018) "Impact of change in neighborhood racial/ethnic segregation on cardiovascular health in minority youth attending a park based afterschool program", Social Science and Medicine, 205(), pp. 116-129. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.038 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.038]

Zhu L. (2018) "A multi level analysis on school connectedness, family support, and adolescent depression: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, 1995 1996", Social Sciences, 7(5), pp. -. MDPI AG. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.3390/SOCSCI7050072 10.3390/SOCSCI7050072]

Zhu L. (2018) "A multi level analysis on school connectedness, family support, and adolescent depression: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, 1995 1996", Social Sciences, 7(5), pp. -. MDPI AG. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.3390/SOCSCI7050072 10.3390/SOCSCI7050072]

Wynn C.E.; Friedman S. (2018) "Assessing the role of family structure in racial/ethnic residential isolation", Social Sciences, 7(9), pp. -. MDPI AG. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.3390/SOCSCI7090160 10.3390/SOCSCI7090160]

Wynn C.E.; Friedman S. (2018) "Assessing the role of family structure in racial/ethnic residential isolation", Social Sciences, 7(9), pp. -. MDPI AG. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.3390/SOCSCI7090160 10.3390/SOCSCI7090160]

Sosina V.E.; Weathers E.S. (2019) "Pathways to Inequality: Between District Segregation and Racial Disparities in School District Expenditures", AERA Open, 5(3), pp. -. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419872445 10.1177/2332858419872445]

D'Agostino E.M.; Patel H.H.; Hansen E.; Mathew M.S.; Nardi M.I.; Messiah S.E. (2019) "Does transportation vulnerability explain the relationship between changes in exposure to segregation and youth cardiovascular health?", Health and Place, 57(), pp. 265-276. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.04.002 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.04.002]

Reardon S.F.; Kalogrides D.; Shores K. (2019) "The geography of racial/ethnic test score gaps", American Journal of Sociology, 124(4), pp. 1164-1221. University of Chicago Press. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1086/700678 10.1086/700678]

De Maio F.; Ansell D.; Shah R.C. (2020) "Racial/ethnic minority segregation and low birth weight in five North American cities", Ethnicity and Health, 25(7), pp. 915-924. Routledge. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2018.1492706 10.1080/13557858.2018.1492706]

Kogachi K.; Graham S. (2020) "Numerical Minority Status in Middle School and Racial/Ethnic Segregation in Academic Classes", Child Development, 91(6), pp. 2083-2102. Blackwell Publishing Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13408 10.1111/cdev.13408]

Yang T.-C.; Park K.; Matthews S.A. (2020) "Racial/ethnic segregation and health disparities: Future directions and opportunities", Sociology Compass, 14(6), pp. -. Wiley-Blackwell. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12794 10.1111/soc4.12794]

Linton S.L.; Cooper H.L.F.; Chen Y.-T.; Khan M.A.; Wolfe M.E.; Ross Z.; Des Jarlais D.C.; Friedman S.R.; Tempalski B.; Broz D.; Semaan S.; Wejnert C.; Paz-Bailey G. (2020) "Mortgage Discrimination and Racial/Ethnic Concentration Are Associated with Same Race/Ethnicity Partnering among People Who Inject Drugs in 19 US Cities", Journal of Urban Health, 97(1), pp. 88-104. Springer. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-019-00405-w 10.1007/s11524-019-00405-w]

Richards M.P.; Stroub K.J. (2020) "Measuring segregation in a multiracial era: The impact of federal racial reporting changes on estimates of public school segregation", Teachers College Record, 122(5), pp. 155-170. Teachers College, Columbia University. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

Richards M.P.; Stroub K.J. (2020) "Metropolitan public school district segregation by race and income, 2000 2011", Teachers College Record, 122(5), pp. 21-41. Teachers College, Columbia University. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

Meyer O.L.; Besser L.; Mitsova D.; Booker M.; Luu E.; Tobias M.; Farias S.T.; Mungas D.; DeCarli C.; Whitmer R.A. (2021) "Neighborhood racial/ethnic segregation and cognitive decline in older adults", Social Science and Medicine, 284(), pp. -. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114226 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114226]

Dudovitz R.N.; Biely C.; Barnert E.S.; Coker T.R.; Guerrero A.D.; Jackson N.; Schickedanz A.; Szilagyi P.G.; Iyer S.; Chung P.J. (2021) "Association between school racial/ethnic composition during adolescence and adult health", Social Science and Medicine, 272(), pp. -. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113719 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113719]

González-Pérez J.M. (2021) "Racial/Ethnic Segregation and Urban Inequality in Kansas City, Missouri: A Divided City", City and Community, 20(4), pp. 346-370. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/1535684121990799 10.1177/1535684121990799]

D’Agostino E.M.; Patel H.H.; Hansen E.; Mathew M.S.; Messiah S.E. (2021) "Longitudinal Effects of Transportation Vulnerability on the Association Between Racial/Ethnic Segregation and Youth Cardiovascular Health", Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 8(3), pp. 618-629. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00821-8 10.1007/s40615-020-00821-8]

Zhai W.; Fu X.; Liu M.; Peng Z.-R. (2021) "The impact of ethnic segregation on neighbourhood level social distancing in the United States amid the early outbreak of COVID 19", Urban Studies, -. SAGE Publications Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/00420980211050183 10.1177/00420980211050183]

Smith J.L.; Sonmez Z.; Zettel N. (2021) "Growing Income Inequality and Socioeconomic Segregation in the Chicago Region", Urban Book Series, 349-369. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64569-4_18 10.1007/978-3-030-64569-4_18]

Beckman L.; Wang X. (2022) "Revisiting the Minority Threat Perspective: Examining the Main and Interactive Effects of Segregation on Sentencing Severity", Justice Quarterly, 39(4), pp. 745-771. Routledge. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2020.1854832 10.1080/07418825.2020.1854832]

Han S.; Piquero A.R. (2022) "Is It Dangerous to Live in Neighborhoods with More Immigrants? Assessing the Effects of Immigrant Concentration on Crime Patterns", Crime and Delinquency, 68(1), pp. 52-79. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/00111287211007736 10.1177/00111287211007736]

Hu L.; Moayyed H.; Frank N. (2022) "Racial/ethnic and class segregation at workplace and residence: A Los Angeles case study", Journal of Urban Affairs, 44(7), pp. 907-925. Taylor and Francis Ltd.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2020.1782224 10.1080/07352166.2020.1782224]

Wong D.W.S.; Das Gupta D. (2023) "Age race ethnicity segregation in the United States: Where do minority older adults stand?", Population, Space and Place, -. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2642 10.1002/psp.2642]