booklet 8

• economic inequality


  difference found in various measures of economic well being among individuals in a group, among groups in a population or among countries
• social segregation


  When groups of people live apart from the larger population due to factors such as wealth, ethnicity, religion or age
• cultural diversity


  the cultural variety and cultural differences that exist in the world or a society
• spatial pattern


  how the characteristics of an urban area vary across the city

  - include pattern of land use, pattern of wealth and how different cultures are often found in particular areas within city
• diaspora


  group of people w similar heritage or homeland who have settled elsewhere in the world
• economic inequality in developing vs developed countries

  - higher inequality in developing countries

  - as many developing countries lack resources to support their poorest citizens

  - whereas developed countries have welfare stores which provide basic services and income for people struggling financially
• issues economic inequality can cause in cities

  - political and social unrest

  - rise in crime, drug use and violence

  - health problems - cities w higher level of inequality have more malnourished children
• how does housing affect social segregation

  - developers, builders and planners build with a particular group in mind
• how does changing environments affect social segregation

  - former poorer areas being gentrified

  - redevelopment of slums
• how does ethnic dimension affect social segregation

  - new migrants only afford cheaper housing / private rental

  - often concentrate in poorer areas clustered into multicultural enclaves

  - slum development in poorer countries
• examples of social segregation in the UK

  - gated communities found next to sink estates

  - successful, prosperous commuter villages may only be a few miles away from less attractive rural villages

  - expensive riverside properties in london bought by wealthy european and Arab immigrants

  - wealthier white Brits tend to live in leafy suburban wards
• examples of social segregation in developing world

  - city centre core is the centre of wealth, and periphery is area of poverty

  - pockets of wealth dotted in other parts of city - often gated

  - nearly a billion live in slums around the world - number is increasing
• reasons for greater cultural diversity in cities

  - immigration

  - offer greater range of employment opportunities

  - tend to house earlier immigrant groups w same ethnicity

  - cultural diversity means specialist ethnic shops and services are already located there

  - urban populations tend to be more tolerant
• advantages of cultural diversity in urban areas

  - celebrate and learn diff cultures / languages / fashion ect

  - increases tolerance

  - brings tourism

  - increased range of skill sets + job vacancies

  - increased cultural experiences - music, media, food, festivals
• issues with cultural diversity in cities

  - some may not be tolerant towards other cultures

  - may not be access to important aspects of culture

  - lack of resources available

  - cultural clashes

  - racism / hate crime / war crime

  - communication - harder to provide support / give messages
• general strategies used to reduce poverty and inequality in urban areas

  - enforcing a living wage or providing an urban subsidy

  - provision of schools - beyond primary education

  - supporting low skilled workers who want to develop their abilities

  - access to affordable housing

  - greater provision of public transport - making it affordable, improving mobility for poor, enables them to access healthcare, employment, education

  - enforce minimum environmental standards - help improve health

  - establishing fairness commissions - looking at how local areas can adress inequality