Work

Permanence and change in urban segregation: Segregation trends in different neighbourhoods of Athens, 1991–2021

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Over the past 30 years, Athens has transitioned from a relatively inclusive city into a financialised metropolis, moving from conservative protectionism and clientelism to liberalised and globalised socioeconomic conditions. The sovereign debt crisis severely impacted the city’s economy and the living conditions of most of its residents. Furthermore, in the aftermath of the crisis, touristification made the real estate market increasingly attractive to foreign investors and, at the same time, housing much less affordable for local low-income households. This article explores segregation trends in Athens associated with the processes, places and agents involved between 1991 and 2021. The investigation is based on detailed social data from small spatial units, allowing the analysis of segregation trends at the neighbourhood level. By exploring the segregation trends over 30 years in different parts of the city, this article highlights the potential differences in the temporality and spatiality of residential processes in Athens, using investigative methods beyond those usually employed in comparative segregation studies. This approach also reveals the differences between permanence and change in the evolution of these trends and their social outcomes.

Source: European Urban and Regional Studies

DOI: 10.1177/09697764251388968

Authors: Thomas Maloutas, Stavros Nikiforos Spyrellis

Institutions: Harokopio University of Athens, National Centre for Social research

Language: English

Topic: Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation