# Inequality is rising where social network segregation interacts with urban topology

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1909.11414 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1909.11414/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 25 Sep 2019.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Revisiting Link Prediction: A Data Perspective](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.00793/) (2023)
- [Lady and the Tramp Nextdoor: Online Manifestations of Economic Inequalities in the Nextdoor Social Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.05232/) (2023)
- [The Concept of Semantic Value in Social Network Analysis: an Application to Comparative Mythology](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.08023/) (2021)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Social networks amplify inequalities due to fundamental mechanisms of social tie formation such as homophily and triadic closure. These forces sharpen social segregation reflected in network fragmentation. Yet, little is known about what structural factors facilitate fragmentation. In this paper we use big data from a widely-used online social network to demonstrate that there is a significant relationship between social network fragmentation and income inequality in cities and towns. We find that the organization of the physical urban space has a stronger relationship with fragmentation than unequal access to education, political segregation, or the presence of ethnic and religious minorities. Fragmentation of social networks is significantly higher in towns in which residential neighborhoods are divided by physical barriers such as rivers and railroads and are relatively distant from the center of town. Towns in which amenities are spatially concentrated are also typically more socially segregated. These relationships suggest how urban planning may be a useful point of intervention to mitigate inequalities in the long run.