Classical and modern conceptual foundations of urban segregation analysis and social markers

The article examines the evolving conceptual framework for analyzing spatial segregation and its contemporary interpretation. It notes the contextual nature of interpreting this phenomenon, as different historical periods have emphasized either a discriminatory or a morphological approach to the concept. Furthermore, the article raises the question of the relevance of studying segregation in a Russian urban context by analyzing its conflict potential. We conduct a retrospective analysis of approaches to defining the phenomenon of urban segregation and its social markers. This review spans from the concepts of spatial segregation that emerged alongside increasing migration and the racial and territorial localization of inequality in American cities during sociology’s formative years, to modern approaches analyzing “new urban segregation.” Two classical interpretations of the segregation process, established by the 1930s, are distinguished. The first is a “discriminatory” approach, determined by a combination of socio-spatial, racial, and ethnic inequality. The second is a “morphological” approach. Originating from the socio-ecological school, it focuses on the functional zoning of urban areas, the socio-economic differentiation of territories and neighborhood-communities, and the analysis of housing regimes within a city’ s naturally forming boundaries. The manifestations of these approaches were traced through the social markers of segregation selected by researchers. Our analysis of these markers shows that both approaches intersect by focusing on the factor of inequality -whether in its social, racial, or urban-spatial form. The article notes that a new understanding of urban spatial segregation began to emerge in the 1980s-90s, prompted by the weakening influence of racial and ethnic factors on urban development. While the need for security and the transformation of one’s home into a “shelter” remained relevant, the segregation processes perceived by citizens shifted toward a differentiation between private and public, accessible and inaccessible spaces. We argue that the foundation for defining “new segregation” was laid by Brazilian sociologists, who identified secure, enclosed spaces as key elements that fragment the city and reinforce inequality. This angle highlights the importance of urban planning practices in segregation processes, for which local urban conflict can serve as a key marker. Such conflicts can reveal instances of segregation that have not become normalized practices but are instead identified by citizens as forms of injustice or discrimination. From this perspective, when studying segregation, the analytical focus can be on both the conflict itself and the trigger that caused it. The circumstances under which segregation gives rise to conflict are of particular importance, as the challenges of resolving these conflicts become a central problem within the new structure of the modern city, which is itself being reshaped by segregation. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

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