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The Role of Social Connections in the Racial Segregation of US Cities

Author

Listed:
  • Tanner Regan

    (George Washington University)

  • Andreas Diemer

    (Stockholm University)

  • Cheng Keat Tang

    (Nanyang Technological University)

Abstract

We study the extent of segregation in the social space of urban America. We measure segregation as the (lack of) actual personal connections between groups as opposed to conventional measures based on own neighbourhood composition. We distinguish social segregation from geographical definitions of segregation, and build and compare city-level indices of each. Conditional on residential segregation, cities with more institutions that foster social cohesion (churches and community associations) are less socially segregated. Looking at within-city variation across neighbourhoods, growing up more socially exposed to non-white neighbourhoods is related to various adulthood outcomes (jailed, income rank, married, and non-migrant) for black individuals. Social exposure to non-white neighbourhoods is always related to worsening adulthood outcomes in neighbourhoods that are majority non-white. Our results suggest that social connections, beyond residential location or other spatial relationships, are important for understanding the effective segregation of race in America.

Suggested Citation

  • Tanner Regan & Andreas Diemer & Cheng Keat Tang, 2023. "The Role of Social Connections in the Racial Segregation of US Cities," Working Papers 2023-05, The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy.
    • Handle: RePEc:gwi:wpaper:2023-05
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    File URL: https://www2.gwu.edu/~iiep/assets/docs/papers/2023WP/ReganIIEP2023-05.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elizabeth Oltmans Ananat, 2011. "The Wrong Side(s) of the Tracks: The Causal Effects of Racial Segregation on Urban Poverty and Inequality," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(2), pages 34-66, April.
    2. Gergő Tóth & Johannes Wachs & Riccardo Clemente & Ákos Jakobi & Bence Ságvári & János Kertész & Balázs Lengyel, 2021. "Inequality is rising where social network segregation interacts with urban topology," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Federico Echenique & Roland G. Fryer, 2007. "A Measure of Segregation Based on Social Interactions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(2), pages 441-485.
    4. David M. Cutler & Edward L. Glaeser, 1997. "Are Ghettos Good or Bad?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(3), pages 827-872.
    5. Cody Cook & Lindsey Currier & Edward L. Glaeser, 2022. "Urban Mobility and the Experienced Isolation of Students," NBER Working Papers 29645, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Michael Bailey & Ruiqing Cao & Theresa Kuchler & Johannes Stroebel, 2018. "The Economic Effects of Social Networks: Evidence from the Housing Market," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(6), pages 2224-2276.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Segregation; Social Networks; US cities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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