Spatial segregation: a data science approach

Recent developments such as the aging population and globalization might lead to a decreasing role of the welfare state, resulting in an increasing gap between economically strong and economically weak layers of the Dutch population. One of the factors affecting the gap between population groups is spatial segregation. High levels of segregation are often thought to have negative effects on minorities and lower income groups. However, people in a residentially segregated city might still mingle during daily activities, such as visiting restaurant or visiting a pub, this is referred to as activity segregation. The aim of this thesis is to provide further insights into spatial segregation, specifically for five most populous cities in the Netherlands. This is done by analyzing the two forms of segregation: residential segregation and activity segregation. For the analysis of activity segregation, Amsterdam is taken as a case study. A first attempt is made to quantify the segregation of activity in Amsterdam to figure out how much of this segregation can be explained by (I) residential segregation and (II) people experiencing a social barrier to visiting neighborhoods with another demographic (ethnic) composition.