Measuring and Analysing Individual-Based Segregation: Incorporating Geographical and Temporal Contexts
Studies focused on the measurement of urban segregation have been traditionally developed using a place–based approach, adopting the residential space as reference. However, the fact that the place and time people stay in different spaces performing their daily activities vary from individual to individual, implies distinct experiences of segregation through the territory. Changing the perspective of segregation analysis makes it possible to understand the phenomenon as an individual experience, not only as a characteristic of the place. To incorporate the personal experience into segregation studies, the measurement must be individualized. Thus, faced with the methodological challenges to incorporate the individual as a unit of analysis and the limitations imposed by the types of data necessary for this investigation, this thesis developed methodological strategies to analyze and measure individual segregation in both geographical and temporal contexts. The effectiveness of the individual segregation metric developed was analyzed through a case study considering data available for the Brazilian reality focusing on the São Paulo Metropolitan Region. Changes in segregation levels between and within social groups at different times of the day were observed, and profiles of individuals who experience segregation more markedly were identified. The adoption of an individual segregation metric proved effective in capturing the individual and temporal nature of segregation as an experience, revealing intersectional aspects of the phenomenon. The combined analysis of isolation and personal socioeconomic attributes of individuals allowed the visualization of profiles of the population and the places they carry out their activities, showing implications for accessing opportunities, levels of sociability, and inequalities. Results achieved from the empirical analysis of urban segregation enabled by the individual perspective open up an important avenue for further research on the phenomenon and to understanding and reduce social inequalities in the territory.