Research

We are a strong international team of researchers with expertise on urban development, inequality, poverty, segregation, deprived neighbourhoods, neighbourhood effects, and other urban studies related topics. We are dedicated to understanding changing socio-economic (spatial) patterns in European cities, and how segregation influences the lives of those who live in cities (neighbourhood effects). The topic of segregation has been widely studied since the work of Charles Booth in London in the late 19th century. Nowadays the topic is more important than ever due to growing income inequalities in Europe. These growing inequalities translate in to space and become visible in our cities and neighbourhoods.

The link between social stratification and spatial segregation is not straightforward, and is mediated by many other factors. We have developed a multifactor approach for understanding segregation, by combining structural/formative factors with a context sensitive analysis of segregation. The core formative factors of segregation include globalization and economic restructuring, combined with different welfare contexts as well as different historical development pathways. We strongly believe in internationally comparative research which allows us to understand better how the formative factors translate into segregation. Finally, we do not only investigate segregation at the level of neighbourhoods, but we focus also on other life domains, such as schools, places of work, and leisure activities.

For more information on our work and our most recent publications, please visit our personal pages:

Maarten van Ham, Delft University of Technology & University of St Andrews

Szymon Marcińczak, University of Łódź

Sako Musterd, University of Amsterdam

Tiit Tammaru, University of Tartu

Related projects:

DEPRIVEDHOODS

DIVERCITIES

Associated research team members:

The team includes researchers from 13 European countries, studying Amsterdam, Athens, Budapest, London, Milan, Madrid, Oslo, Prague, Riga, Stockholm, Tallinn, Vienna and Vilnius.

Roger Andersson, Uppsala University

Maris Berzins, University of Tartu

Donatas Burneika, Lithuanian Social Research Centre

Gerhard Hatz, University of Vienna

Ron Johnston, University of Bristol

Kelvyn Jones, University of Bristol

Anneli Kährik, Uppsala University & University of Tartu

Josef Kohlbacher, Austrian Academy of Sciences

Zuzana Kopecká, Charles University in Prague

Zoltán Kovács, Hungarian Academy of Sciences & University of Szeged

Kalju Kratovitš, University of Tartu

Zaiga Krisjane, University of Latvia

Jesús Leal, Complutense University Madrid

Kadri Leetmaa, University of Tartu

Kadi Mägi, University of Tartu & Delft University of Technology

Thomas Maloutas, Harokopio University

David Manley, University of Bristol & Delft University of Technology

Szymon Marcińczak, University of Łódź

Sako Musterd, University of Amsterdam

Jakub Novák, Charles University in Prague

Martin Ouředníček, Charles University in Prague

Dewi Owen, University of Bristol

Petros Petsimeris, Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne

Lucie Pospíšilová, Charles University in Prague

Ursula Reeger, Austrian Academy of Sciences

Stefania Rimoldi, University of Milano-Bicocca

Daniel Sorando, Complutense University Madrid

Petra Špačková, Charles University in Prague

Balázs Szabó, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Tiit Tammaru, University of Tartu & Delft University of Technology

Rūta Ubarevičienė, Lithuanian social research centre & Delft University of Technology

Vytautas Valatka, Lithuanian social research centre & Vilnius University

Wouter van Gent, University of Amsterdam

Maarten van Ham, Delft University of Technology & University of St Andrews

Terje Wessel, University of Oslo

The research has received funding from the:

European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013) / ERC Grant Agreement n. 615159 (ERC Consolidator Grant DEPRIVEDHOODS, Socio-spatial inequality, deprived neighbourhoods, and neighbourhood effects).

Estonian Research Council (Institutional Research Grant IUT2-17 on Spatial Population Mobility and Geographical Changes in Urban Regions); the Estonian Science Foundation (Grant No. 8774 and 9247)

Marie Curie programme under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013) / Career Integration Grant n. PCIG10-GA-2011-303728 (CIG Grant NBHCHOICE, Neighbourhood choice, neighbourhood sorting, and neighbourhood effects).