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Title: Indices of Racial Residential Segregation: A Critical Review and Redirection

Citation Type: Miscellaneous

Publication Year: 2005

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Abstract: Racial residential segregation is most often expressed with an index conveying the unevennessof settlement across census tracts. Despite small declines in the unevenness of black-whitesettlement in some U.S. cities, it is less clear what this says about segregation, integration, orrace relations. This paper discusses the limitations of indices of residential segregation andoutlines a range of approaches emphasizing the multiple boundaries that impede interracialcontact and privilege access to resources. A more complete understanding of the state of racerelations requires an array of methods to systematically examine the physical, social, andpsychological boundaries that influence social integration and segregation. Birds-eyeapproaches focus on boundaries across communities in a city to generalize about settlementpatterns. Segregation indices fit into this tradition, depicting patterns of proximity but sayingnothing about actual interaction or ties. Ground-level approaches look more closely withindiverse communities at how residents form associations and why. I argue that a clearer pictureof segregation will emerge if we retool how we use indices of segregation and if we complementit with other approaches.

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Authors: Berry, Brent

Publisher: University of Toronto

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Race and Ethnicity

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