ABSTRACT
Separation has been analyzed on the basis of either socioeconomic status, stage in the life cycle, or race/ethnicity. Clark's survey (2001) of residential segregation revealed that separation in cities is more a matter of economic difference than discrimination. Racial segregation has received the most attention, and explanations include individual choice, financial status, and discriminatory practices, with the last category being dominant. In fact, between 1990 and 2010, the greatest increases in racial and ethnic diversity were found in suburban areas. Maps of Chicago in 1980 and 2010 show the dramatic change in the number of census tracts that had high income diversity. Economic development policies that may promote diversity include tax increment financing, enterprise zones, business improvement districts, community facilities funding; or policies that support neighborhood-scale businesses via tax incentives or grants. Explanations include consumer choice, discrimination in institutions and governance, neighborhood dynamics, and macro-based explanations involving political economy and social change.
