The spatiality of segregation: narratives from the everyday urban environment of Gothenburg and Glasgow

Recent figures of displaced people in the world have reached more than 60 million suggesting that there has been an exponential increase in the rate of forced and voluntary mobility between cities. This has inevitably caused socially and politically constructed ‘borders’ to change. This paper examines the different levels of manifestation of migration using two case studies from Scotland and Sweden, to demonstrate different mobility patterns, serving to provide a wider comparison of urban responses to the different magnitudes of influx of migrants and their highly diverse distributions. Within the context of the two cases the paper examines socio-spatial practices of migrant communities and assesses the impact of displaced populations on the urban areas they occupy and vice versa. It also highlights the role of urban practitioners in questioning durable solutions that address the challenges introduced by spatial segregation on infrastructure and local communities. Key contribution of this study aims to shift stereotypical architectural conception towards more resolved contextual solutions that address current socio-cultural needs in urban areas that host displaced communities. Coupled with a greater understanding of the historical trends and future challenges of mass migration, this could be developed into a methodology for further research into proposing socially sustainable solutions that deal with the complex nature of displacement and its socio-spatial impact on urban environments