Territorial personalization: Group Identity and Social Interaction in a Slavic-American Neighborhood

Abstract

This study examined variations in levels of exterior maintenance and adornment among the residents of a predominantly Slavic-American, inner-city neighborhood. Specific questions were: Is ethnic identity expressed in the exterior personalization of individual households? Are higher levels of personalization associated with higher levels of neighborhood-based social interaction? Results indicated that Slavic-Americans personalized more than their non-Slavic counterparts (p