Geopolitical fragmentation and patterns of social structure in urbanized areas in the United States, 1960--1990.

Economic disparities and racial/ethnic segregation increasingly divide metropolitian areas in the United States. This dissertation takes a spatial perspective to explore the relationship between geopolitical fragmentation and socio-economic patterns to examine if politically fragmented regions are enduring greater levels of racial, ethnic and economic segregation. Despite numerous studies, the implications of geopolitical fragmentation (division of urban regions into a multitude of local governments) remain theoretically and empirically contested. Scholars see geopolitical fragmentation as both a vehicle for local empowerment, choice and democracy and as a source for segregation and social inequities. Existing theories explain parts of the phenomenon but fail to produce testable and mutually exclusive hypotheses. Advancing the debate, I first provide a conceptual reevaluation of geopolitical fragmentation by exploiting theories of territoriality and boundary effects. I conclude that geopolitical fragmentation (a) is a complex phenomenon which when measured on one-dimensional scales yields distorted empirical results, and (b) can be described by structural elements. Second, I introduce a multivariate fragmentation index. The index assesses several fragmentation dimensions simultaneously classifying urban areas by fragmentation level and type. The index is based on data (area, size, jurisdiction counts) that are comparable, easy to obtain and available for multiple time periods. Third, the index is applied to assess the geopolitical fragmentation and its development for 70 mid-sized urbanized areas in the U.S. from 1960 to 1990. For all aspects investigated (fragmentation levels, trends and fragmentation types) significant regional patterns were detected. Fourth, the hypothesis that geopolitical fragmentation mirrors socio-economic pattern is tested. Using spatial analysis and 1990 US census data I compare socio-economic pattern and geopolitical fragmentation of eight case study areas with differing levels and types of fragmentation. Global and local Moran's I coefficients for race, ethnicity and income are calculated to test for patterns of segregation. Significant differences in income levels and racial composition are frequently found along jurisdicational boundaries. Differences in socio-economic structure are detected by fragmentation level and type, yet other factors such as regional conditions and socio-economic composition of the urban population are important forces in determining the socio-economic spatial separation and clustering of urban population.PhDAmerican studiesGeographySocial SciencesSocial structureUrban planningUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132787/2/9990893.pd