Diversity and polarization between natives and immigrants: the case of Barcelona

The scope of our research is to conduct an empirical investigation into the degree of ethnic cohesion in a multiethnic city such as Barcelona (Spain). Our aim is to assess how immigrant and native groups are distributed across the city’s neighborhoods and understand their locational patterns in order to identify potential polarization trends that could undermine socioeconomic cohesion among citizens. Unlike much of the existing literature, we adopt a research strategy based on spatial analysis. Our findings indicate that, between 2008 and 2020, Barcelona experienced a decrease in polarization and an increase in diversity—understood as the co-location of different communities—at the neighborhood level. Income emerges as a relevant determinant: it is associated with lower diversity and positively correlated with polarization. We identify that high-income neighborhoods are predominantly inhabited by natives and Europeans, while other communities are relegated to peripheral areas, which in turn become more diverse. However, this distribution pattern is reinforced by the linguistic and religious distance. A deeper interpretation of our results suggests that initiatives aimed at fostering human capital development and education could serve as effective tools to promote a more balanced spatial distribution of communities that could enhance urban social cohesion.