Social-contextual exposure of ethnic groups in urban China: From residential place to activity space

Abstract

Studies on ethnic segregation in recent decades have shifted the focus from the residential area towards people's activity locations, and policy focus requires more effort in identifying the most segregated individuals among ethnic minorities. Meanwhile, research on ethnic segregation in urban China from the activity-based perspective remains to be examined. Thus, we analyse ethnic segregation beyond residential neighbourhoods in Chinese cities by measuring individuals' exposure to the social context in neighbourhoods where they perform daily activities (e.g., work). We conduct an empirical study in Xining City based on activity diaries with the focus on the Hui minorities and Han majorities. We find that a substantial amount of activities occur outside the respondents' home neighbourhoods, thereby resulting in notable ethnic segregation beyond home neighbourhoods. In addition, using one-sided exposure indices and multilevel regression models, we find that different social groups may be exposed to considerably different ethnic environments in activity locations even if they live in ethnically similar neighbourhoods and identify that individuals with low income or low-level education among the Hui minorities may have greater risks of segregation in activity locations than others. Therefore, the gaps in income and educational attainment between the Hui minorities and Han majorities should be mitigated to foster high opportunities of encounters and social integration.