Mind the Gap: Monitoring Spatial Inequalities in Quality of Life Conditions (Case Study of Rosario)

Abstract

Unequal quality of life conditions are one of the most visible forms of uneven and fragmented urban development. It is against this canvas of increasing inequalities and pressing demands to improve and communicate quality of life conditions that this chapter proposes a methodological approach to analyze and monitor intra-urban quality of life variations. This approach is informed by a social justice perspective focusing on (1) how to critically select indicators, (2) how to communicate and visualize gaps, and (3) how to avoid cartographic misrepresentations of unjust situations. It draws from a case study in the city of Rosario, Argentina, where this approach has been empirically applied. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to analyze and map several quality of life indicators. It combined several data sources including census data from 1991, 2001, and 2010 as well as administrative data. This chapter first introduces the concept of social justice guiding the perspective of this approach, its spatial dimension, and its relation to quality of life studies (Sect. 6.2). Next, it discusses the proposed methodology to monitor unequal quality of life conditions (Sect. 6.3). Following this, it critically presents and discusses the results (Sect. 6.4) before concluding with a discussion of limitations and also potential of the approach. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)