Spatial Segregation in Action? An Empirical Assessment of Population Concentration of Foreigners and Nationals in Italy, 2002–2018

Abstract

The spatial concentration of human populations is a dynamic attribute of demographic systems and a multifaceted research dimension intrinsically dependent on settlement patterns and diverging (individual) geographies. An extensive literature dealing with the quantitative assessment of this demographic aspect has proposed several methodologies and approaches, conceptualizing and operationalizing the notions of “place” and “scale” in a different way. In this perspective, the present study investigates the spatial distribution of foreign and national populations residing in Italy for three years (2002, 2010, and 2018) adopting a mixed approach that integrates exploratory and confirmative statistical analyses of demographic indicators. The empirical results of this approach demonstrate that diverging interpretations of settlement patterns may result from the use of different methodologies, indicators, and observational scales. The study finally argues how future research on this topic should advocate for a better understanding of foreigners’ settlement pattern as a place-specific process and insists on the importance of measures based on integrated (spatial and statistical) approaches.