Sociologist Dr. Chad Farrell investigates the racial and ethnic contours of America's urban neighborhoods
by Jamie Gonzales |
Dr. Chad Farrell, a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at UAA, and Dr. Barrett Lee, Department of Sociology, Penn State University, have
published an article titled "Racial Diversity and Change in Metropolitan Neighborhoods" in the journal Social Science Research. In one of the largest demographic studies of its kind, the researchers analyzed
U.S. Census data from more than 30,000 neighborhoods (tracts) for the decade between
1990 and 2000. Farrell and Lee find that, despite persistent racial segregation in
large cities, most neighborhoods are becoming more diverse and this trend applies
across racial and ethnic groups. However, white populations tend to diminish rapidly
in the presence of very high diversity levels and a shrinking (but still large) segment
of the white population remains in low-diversity neighborhoods. Latino population
growth has emerged as a primary demographic force driving neighborhood change in diverse
urban areas.
Dr. Farrell is currently on sabbatical analyzing recently released 2010 census data.
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