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Sociology vocabulary · Urbanisation and Community

Segregation

Meaning in sociology, with examples

/ˌseɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən/nounCommon term

In sociology, segregation means: The separation of social groups, by law or in practice, so that they live, study or work in different places, such as separate neighbourhoods or schools.

In Turkish: ayrışma, mekansal ayrışma, segregasyon

How it is used

Sociologists distinguish legal (de jure) segregation from segregation that results from income, housing markets and personal choices (de facto). Urban researchers measure residential segregation with tools such as the index of dissimilarity.

Example sentences

  1. Residential segregation by income has increased in many large cities.

  2. School segregation often follows the boundaries between rich and poor neighbourhoods.

Common collocations

  • residential segregation
  • racial segregation
  • school segregation
  • spatial segregation
  • gentrificationThe process by which wealthier residents and businesses move into a lower-income urban area, raising property prices and often displacing the original residents.
  • discriminationTreating people unfairly or differently because they belong to a particular group, for example on the basis of gender, ethnicity, age, religion or disability.
  • social exclusionA situation in which individuals or groups are shut out from full participation in society, such as work, education, housing, services or political life.
  • suburbanisationThe movement of people, housing and businesses from city centres to the outer areas around a city, creating large residential suburbs.

More terms: Urbanisation and Community

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