Segregation, Urban Poverty and Deprivation

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Segregation, Urban Poverty and Deprivation

• IB Geography II

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PART 1 RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION
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Residential Patterns in Rich Countries

• Residential Segregation the physical separation
  of population by culture, income or other
  criteria.
• Common in all cities
• Intensity depends on the differences between the
  guest and hosts.

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The Causes of Residential Segregation Are

• Socio-economic Status
• Ethnicity

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Socio-economic Status

• In Western societies, socioeconomic status is
  determined largely by income and employment

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Ethnicity

• The cultural differences between immigrants and
  existing residents often lead to difficulties in
  communication, which can result in segregation.

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PART 2 URBAN POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION
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Deprivation

• Within most cities, there is considerable
  variation in quality of life.
• Poor Areas are zones of deprivation, poverty
  and exclusion.
• MEDCs inner-city areas/ghettos
• LEDCs Shanty towns/slums

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Measuring Deprivation

• Indices Used to Measure Deprivation
• Physical Indicators quality of housing, levels
  of pollution, incidence of crime, vandalism,
  graffiti
• Social Indicators Crime (or fear of) levels of
  and access to health, standards of education.
• Economic Indicators access to employment,
  unemployment, underemployment, levels of income
• Political Indicators opportunities to vote

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Squatter Settlements Residential areas which have
developed without legal claims to the land and/or
permission from the concerned authorities to
build as a result of their illegal or semi-legal
status, infrastructure and services are usually
inadequate. 30 of the urban population of the
world live in squatter settlements. 1 billion
people! By 2050 it will be 2 billion!
This animation shows how squatter settlements are
upgraded over time. http//www.sln.org.uk/geograp
hy/geoweb/blowmedown/shanty05.swf
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Caracas - Venezuela
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Rocinha Rio de Janeiro Brazil
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Dharavi, Mumbai
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Slum Living

• Positive Aspects
• Points of Assimilation for Immigrants
• Informal entrepreneurs can work here
• Informal employment at home (no commute)
• Strong sense of kinship (family support)
• Crime rates are relatively low.

• Negative Aspects
• Security of tenure is often lacking
• Basic services are absent (water and sanitation)
• Overcrowding
• Sites are often hazardous
• Levels of hygiene and sanitation are poor and
  disease is common.

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Watch Richard Neuwirths TED presentation on his
book Shadow Cities (14 min)
He presents an empathic and positive view of
squatter settlements and their role in modern
cities.
http//www.ted.com/talks/robert_neuwirth_on_our_sh
adow_cities.html
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Is it possible that squatter settlements, shanty
towns, bustees, favelas, slums are part of the
solution? Or perhaps is it true that they are a
potent symbol of the failure of society to
address the basic needs of the majority and it
must be the responsibility of the public sector
to provide housing for its citizens? Slums of
hope or slums of despair? Discuss in elbow
partners!