Though we hoped to gain an understanding of inequality in each city by using geo-coded income data, our research team encountered roadblocks in finding available city- and neighborhood- level data. In many instances, only national- and state-level data were available. Our research team thus had to turn to a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research, in order to address unanswered questions.
Data on income, particularly at the city and neighborhood levels, was extremely difficult to find. This made understanding inequality a more complex process than originally anticipated. The research team turned to qualitative data to fill in gaps. For instance, qualitative data helped the research team locate well-known informal settlements and low-income neighborhoods. Paired with available quantitative and geospatial data, we were able to identify patterns and key takeaways. Nevertheless, data on all the dimensions of spatial inequality that our research team hoped to cover were not available in each city. Researchers who are able to collect neighborhood-level data, such as local governments, universities and community organizations could facilitate improved research by systematically collecting and making this data available.
Studies employing satellite data and remote sensing were invaluable. Remote sensing can help policymakers better understand disparities in settlement patterns; access to housing and land; and proximity to transport infrastructure. The paucity of geospatial data in many Global South cities remains an issue, and remote sensing contributes to addressing this gap. For instance, studies that use remote sensing to identify the locations of slums based on the construction materials used can provide an early indication of urban expansion (Sellers 2010).
Finally, our understanding of urbanism and how inequality is produced rests on understanding social and historical factors that have shaped cities. Empirical studies that are attentive to historical differences – particularly surrounding state formation, territoriality, and the fundamental relationship between economic development and urbanization – may shed light on characteristics and policies that lead to urban fragmentation and inequality.
Questions for Future Research
° How do residents of formal and informal settlements interact within cities? Is it possible to measure a community’s isolation from or interaction with neighboring areas?
° How does economic mobility differ across countries and continents? Do residents of informal settlements tend to remain in their communities? Do their children remain in their communities?
° What does the process of formalization of informal settlements look like across cities? When is this process state-led, and when is it driven by grassroots efforts among community members?
° Beyond disparate flood vulnerabilities within a city, are there other ways in which climate change may have an unequal impact across communities within a city? How might rising temperatures, storms, and droughts impact residents of informal settlements?