Economics and Reinvent seminar: Residential segregation

Martin Korpi and Daniel Halvarsson, Ratio, will present the paper "Segregation, tipping and the role of amenities, crime and housing" that explores the pace of ethnic segregation over time. Are developments linear or subject to structural breaks? Which factors mitigates or exacerbates segregation?

The paper, co-authored with Özge Öner (Cambridge University), William A.V. Clark (UCLA), Oana Mihaescu (Södertörn & Institute of Retail Economics), Olof Bäckman (Stockholm University) and John Östh (Uppsala University, uses geo-coded full-population data for the three largest metropolitan areas in Sweden, 1993-2016.

It estimates the level and pace of ethnic segregation, examines possible tipping points in this development, and gauges the importance of several mitigating or exacerbating factors, such as the mix of housing area tenure type, different types of public and private amenities, and crime levels.

The study uses two geographic observational levels; 250 x 250 square meter grids and SAMS areas, respectively. It finds that the process of ethnic segregation happens at a pace equivalent to one native born person (individuals born in Sweden with at least one native-born parent) leaving a residential area following a three person increase in migrants from developing countries.

In contrast to most previous studies, potential tipping points (structural breakes) are not statistically significant, suggesting a more continuous segregating process.