MAG 2024-II. Authors: Mathijs de Vaan (Universiteit van Amsterdam – Faculteit der Maatschappij en Gedragswetenschappen), Bas Hofstra (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen – Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen), Arnout van de Rijt (European University Institute).
This research aims to illuminate the root causes of social and economic segregation: is it driven more by individual preferences to form relationships to different versus similar others or is it exacerbated by a lack of diversity in the social spaces (e.g. schools, workplaces, neighborhoods) that people navigate? Segregation, where people of different races, migration backgrounds, or socioeconomic statuses live in different worlds and hardly interact, contributes to inequalities in education, income, and health. Using Dutch register data, the study will examine how people’s surroundings—such as neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools—as well as the changes in these surroundings shape the social relationships that people form. The findings could help shape policies that reduce segregation, depending on whether it’s more influenced by individual preferences or structural barriers. Ultimately, the study aims to offer new insights for addressing social inequality and promoting integration.
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