Urban residential clustering and mobility of ethnic groups: impact of fertility

We studied residential clustering and mobility of ethnic minorities using a theoretical framework based on null models of spatial distributions and movements of populations. Using microdata from population registers we compared the patterns of clustering amongst various socioethnic groups living in and around the capital region of Finland. The models enabled us to connect the factors influencing intraurban migration to the spatial patterns that have developed over time. The observed clustering seems to be a combined effect of fertility and the tendency to migrate locally. The models also highlight the importance of factors like proximity to the city centre, neighbourhood income levels, and similarity of socioeconomic profiles. While the demonstrated relationship between clustering, mobility, and fertility is based on a limited number of observations, it could serve as a motivation for future research in different urban settings. Overall, these insights are expected to contribute to our understanding of demographic dynamics in culturally diverse environments.

Kunal Bhattacharya, Chandreyee Roy, Tuomas Takko, Anna Rotkirch, Kimmo Kaski