|
Description:
|
Previous research in the spatial assimilation of racial and ethnic groups has not
assessed trends over time due to methodological difficulties and data limitations . I use an
innovative method to assess the intercensal changes in neighborhood spatial attainment
for African Americans , Hispanics , and non -Hispanic whites in Houston , Texas , between
1970 and 2000 . I extend the current literature by showing that an accepted and
commonly used method for assessing longitudinal change in spatial attainment is flawed
and yields incorrect results . I highlight an alternative approach which makes use of data
readily available in Census Summary Files to estimate individual -level spatial attainment
regressions . I also show that the choice of neighborhood size affects estimates of spatial
attainment effects . Although the influence of spatial scale has been demonstrated in the
segregation literature , its consequences for spatial attainment research have not . I
investigate and report findings from four geographic scales useful to and commonly used
by spatial attainment researchers : the block group , the Census tract , the Zip Code
Tabulated Area , and the Public Use Micro Data Area . I compare the benefits and
drawbacks of estimating spatial attainment at each level of geography . |