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<p>Although past studies have found that processes of urban shrinkage may act as a catalyst for socio-economic segregation, these relationships remain underexplored outside the context of large cities and capitals. Moreover, cities at lower-tiers of the urban hierarchy in post-socialist Europe have been doubly excluded from the critical discourse on the socio-spatial effects of shrinkage. Hence, this article examines how shrinkage affects socio-economic segregation in the medium-sized post-socialist city of Schwerin, employing segregation indices to assess levels of spatial unevenness and location quotients to map intra-urban patterns of vulnerable population groups over time. Results indicate processes of shrinkage may exacerbate socio-economic segregation in medium-sized cities and that the spatial heterogeneity of shrinkage intersects with uneven distributions of affluence and poverty. However, suggesting that legacies of state socialism shape contemporary socio-spatial change, segregation in Schwerin is strongly conditioned by its socialist-era housing estates, which are generally characterised by the highest rates of population decline, vacancy, and vulnerable groups.</p>
</abstract>

Although past studies have found that processes of urban shrinkage may act as a catalyst for socio-economic segregation, these relationships remain underexplored outside the context of large cities and capitals. Moreover, cities at lower-tiers of the urban hierarchy in post-socialist Europe have been doubly excluded from the critical discourse on the socio-spatial effects of shrinkage. Hence, this article examines how shrinkage affects socio-economic segregation in the medium-sized post-socialist city of Schwerin, employing segregation indices to assess levels of spatial unevenness and location quotients to map intra-urban patterns of vulnerable population groups over time. Results indicate processes of shrinkage may exacerbate socio-economic segregation in medium-sized cities and that the spatial heterogeneity of shrinkage intersects with uneven distributions of affluence and poverty. However, suggesting that legacies of state socialism shape contemporary socio-spatial change, segregation in Schwerin is strongly conditioned by its socialist-era housing estates, which are generally characterised by the highest rates of population decline, vacancy, and vulnerable groups.

Urban Shrinkage and Socio-Economic Segregation in Medium-Sized Cities: The Case of Schwerin (Germany)

Department of Economic Geography, Faculty of Human Geography and Planning

Quaestiones Geographicae

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Although past studies have found that processes of urban shrinkage may act as a catalyst for socio-economic segregation, these relationships remain...

Urban Shrinkage and Socio-Economic Segregation in Medium-Sized Cities: The Case of Schwerin (Germany)

Online veröffentlicht: 16. Dez. 2021

Seitenbereich: 29 - 46

Eingereicht: 07. Juni 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2021-0036

Schlüsselwörter
urban shrinkage, socio-economic segregation, medium-sized cities, post-socialist cities, socio-spatial inequality

© 2021 David Huntington, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Urban Shrinkage and Socio-Economic Segregation in Medium-Sized Cities: The Case of Schwerin (Germany)

Online veröffentlicht: 16. Dez. 2021

Seitenbereich: 29 - 46

Eingereicht: 07. Juni 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2021-0036

Schlüsselwörterurban shrinkage, socio-economic segregation, medium-sized cities, post-socialist cities, socio-spatial inequality

© 2021 David Huntington, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Schlüsselwörter
urban shrinkage, socio-economic segregation, medium-sized cities, post-socialist cities, socio-spatial inequality