Introduction special issue: Mixing neighbourhoods: Success or failure?

Abstract

Policy makers in many Western countries have been battling segregation and its presumed negative effects for decades. Fears that segregation and spatial concentrations of poor and minority ethnic households will negatively impact the individuals living in such concentrations seem to be based largely on the American literature. Fears about the formation of ghettos and the negative image of living in one are transmitted to Europe, where they are picked up by politicians and policy makers. In light of such fears, policy makers seek to create mixed urban neighbourhoods. Their reasoning is logical and straightforward: if spatial concentrations of certain population groups have negative effects, then mixed areas would not. The creation of mixed urban neighbourhoods may prevent problems or even have positive effects – for instance, more social cohesion, social contacts between all kinds of groups or better chances for social mobility (Arthurson, 2012; Van Kempen & Bolt, 2012)..