Schwerin Residence Ensemble

Urban Shrinkage and Socio-Economic Segregation in Medium-Sized Cities: The Case of Schwerin (Germany)

Urban shrinkage in medium-sized post-socialist cities can worsen socio-economic segregation, with spatial patterns shaped by historical legacies. A study on Schwerin, Germany, found that socialist-era housing estates experience the highest population decline and concentration of vulnerable groups, exacerbating uneven distributions of affluence and poverty. Using segregation indices and location quotients, researchers mapped intra-urban disparities over time, revealing how shrinkage intersects with socio-spatial inequalities. This challenges assumptions about segregation in large cities, highlighting the need for context-specific approaches to urban planning in post-socialist Europe.