Reverse White Flight - Research Paper Example

? Reverse White Flight Reverse White Flight The demographics of some cities in America have been changing greatly for some time now. From the review of data and interpretations of the latest census results as well as research articles on demography, a new trend in city demography is emerging. Most of the whites previously residing in suburbs are moving back to the cities. As a result, the minority groups, which include blacks, Asians, Latinos, and Hispanics, are moving to occupy the suburbs. The new trend has many implications on the changing scenario in the life and status of the different races. However, an inquiry into the changing demographics proved essential in establishing the real statistics. Methodology In order to identify relevant data for the research on the reversing demographics, indulgence in the review of several primary sources concerning the topic was essential. The primary sources included data from the statistics bureau, scholarly articles and journals that investigate the causes of increasing numbers of minority groups in the suburbs. Interpretation and comparison of such information provides reliable information concerning the changing demographics. Literature Review A close analysis of the statistics from the census bureau produces intriguing implications on the changing ratios of different cities and suburbs. In the past, whites occupied the suburbs while the minority groups lived n the cities. In addition, different authors have tried to explain the causes of the white flight from some neighborhoods to others. However, the reverse flight of whites back to the cities and that of minorities to the suburbs has received little attention. Changes in Neighborhood According to Hyra (2008), the invasion-succession theory described previously by Park and Burgess applies to changes in neighborhoods. An existing population in a location tends to leave when there is a great influx of an incoming population. The theory is in use in giving valid explanations to the changing racial populations. Other studies have tried to identify the point at which the shift begins. In the United States, researchers have established that the tipping point comes when the different races cannot coexist comfortably any more. They describe this point as the limit of tolerance of the different races. However, other studies indicate that the society has a high level of heterogeneity and the tipping point cannot depend entirely on one factor. It is worth noting that some factors may contribute greatly. Card et all (2008) established that tipping points reach a higher value in neighborhoods where the whites have a remarkable racial tolerance. Researchers have established that discrimination may be the key cause of the migration that occurs when whites find themselves in the midst of minorities. In addition, the characteristics of neighborhoods with numerous minorities are not favorable. These are mainly socio-economic factors that differ greatly among racial boundaries in the American society. Whites will move out of areas populated by minorities in fear of association with poverty and associated factors. On a different note, whites move in fear of societal decay (Vidgor, 2007). Other models suggest that there is a filtering process resulting from the housing department. In some neighborhoods, houses may be getting old and this prompts the affluent class to move to modern houses. The reverse occurs to minorities who live in neighborhoods that transform to modern housing, raising rent. These have to move to areas that are more favorable according to their income (Northrup, 2003). Consequences of Change Studies reveal a complex combination of the consequences of neighborhood change. Some of them include unemployment, segregated education facilities, housing changes. Unemployment results because companies shift locations according to areas as populations change. Segregated education has risen because people of different races cannot coexist. The whites have access to quality education while those minority groups have poor schools lacking in resources. Housing rates rise in regions where the affluent whites are moving. This forces the minority groups living in such areas to move to affordable residences. In addition, social problems result because the white flight leaves the minorities to live in areas with limited social amenities. Crime and drug abuse are some of the rampant social problems. The White Flight from the Suburb There is a wide variety of theory explaining why the whites moved from the cities to the suburbs. It is probable that the same factors that have been affecting the cities demographics are contributing to the current reversal shift. Recent research indicates that neighborhood decay is spreading to the suburbs (Card, 2008). There is a marked increase of crime, low-level income and housing and increased segregation. According to Short et al (2007), it is possible that the reverse flight from the suburbs to the cities is similar to the flight that occurred from the city to the suburbs. In addition, the demographic filter technique applies to populations since 1980; it is relevant for the change the reverse flight that has been happening in the past few years. Chicago Demographics as an Example During the decline in economic industry in the 1990s, most companies located to countries that presented more opportunities. This shift left most of people lost jobs and opted for white-collar jobs that did not require them to live in the cities. Consequently, the white shift occurred and they move to the suburbs of the city. Only a few professionals, who were young, remained in the cities. After elapsing of some time, the reverse of the shift occurred. The city transformed to more luxurious and modern housing and this led to the increase of housing rates in the cities. The minority groups left in the city could not afford the raising rent and moved to the suburbs. An increasing number of the whites, who greatly discriminate the minorities, started moving out (Squires, 2002). This brought about the reverse flight of the whites to the cities. Due to the influx of the minorities into the suburbs, the neighborhood started to decline according to the whites and they fled. Children of the affluent preferred the modern schools coming up in the city. The modern housing in the cities contributed to the movement of the affluent to the city. Modern social amenities in the city were an attraction to the affluent but the cost filtered out the minority groups of low income (Levine and Ross, 2011). According to a detailed research report in 2010 elaborating the structure of Chicago demographics and the factors contributing to these changes, it is evident that the reverse flight of whites back to the cities has been happening and that the theories suggested by the researchers apply. An analysis of a map from the university of Chicago map collection reveals that there has been a real shift of whites to the cities while blacks have been moving to the suburbs because of the high cost of living in the Chicago city. This is evident from the census reports comparison in 1990, 2000, and 2010. From a close analysis, more minority groups are moving to the suburbs. The 2010 census depicts a rising number of Latinos in suburbs. The 2000 census statistics depicted growing increase of white people in Chicago city while the blacks were moving to the suburbs. The same situation exists in other cities as well. The reverse flight is a reality in New York. Data from the African American website paints the picture of what the future holds. From an article analyzing the statistics of 2000-2008, the minority groups have been moving to the suburbs while whites have been moving to the metropolitan areas. From the same website, it is clear that Washington D.C, Boston, San Francisco, and Atlanta had a marked increase of white population since 2000. In addition, this article reports increased number of blacks leaving the metropolitan cities to the suburbs. For example, blacks left New Orleans city to the suburbs and this has been trend in many cities. It is evident that the reversed white flight has been a reality in the U.S for quite some time now (Szasz, 2007). It is essential to analyze the reasons why minorities are moving to the suburbs while the whites advance towards the cities. The rising cost of housing in the modern metropolitan cities and this obeys the filter theory discussed above. In addition, great number of elites is moving to the cities. This means that the city is offering new opportunities for the elites. This raises the level of education in the cities and white children want to join the city schools and eventually form part of the city elites. The invasion-succession theory is affecting the suburbs and hence the out flux of white people to the cities. The reverse flights results from discrimination of the minority groups. The reverse flight increases the segregation among races. Once the shift occurs, many factors change. As the whites move, they carry along the elite of the society. Businesses and companies shift to the affluent region occupied by whites (Woldoff, 2011). Modernization of the social amenities follows ion the affluent neighborhood. On the contrary, the minority neighborhood decline and suffer the effects of complex socio-economic problems. In the current reverse flight of the whites, the quality of life in the suburbs is declining. Poverty, crime, low quality schools, and poor social amenities will define the future of the suburbs with a great influx of minorities (Rushefsky, 2007). This paints a picture of the realities of racial privileges to the whites and discrimination to the blacks. In conclusion, the dynamics in the demographics of some regions in America reflect the realities of the increasing racial differences (Patterson, 2000). In the 1990’s, the whites shifted to the emerging modern housing in the suburbs, leaving the minorities in the cities. In the reverse flight, the white are rushing to the affluent metropolitan cities. The minority groups cannot afford life in the cities and are moving to the declining suburbs. There are intense consequences of the movements that are disadvantage to the minorities. The statistics from the census bureau reflect that the reverse flight is a reality. The invasion-succession theories stipulated by authors explain the causes of the changing dynamics. Since the white have little tolerance to the minority groups, the flight has been progressing fast. References Card, D., Mas, A., & Rothstein, J. (2008). “Tipping and the Dynamics of Segregation.” Quarterly Journal of Economics, 123(1), 177-218. Hyra, D.S. (2008). The new urban renewal. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Levine, A., and Ross, H. (2011). Urban politics: Cities and suburbs in a global age. California: M.E. Sharpe. Northrup, C. (2003). The American economy: a historical encyclopedia. California: ABC-CLIO. Patterson, J. (2000). America's struggle against poverty in the twentieth century, Page 3. Boston: Harvard University Press. Rushefsky, E. (2007). Public policy in the United States: At the dawn of the twenty-first century. California: M.E. Sharpe. Short et al (2007). “The Decline of inner suburbs: The new suburban gothic in the United States.” Geography Compass, 1(3): 641-656. Squires, D. (2002). Urban sprawl: causes, consequences, & policy responses. Washington DC: The Urban Insitute. Szasz, A. (2007). Shopping our way to safety: How we changed from protecting the environment to protecting ourselves. Minnesota: U of Minnesota Press. Vigdor, J. L. (2007). “Is urban decay bad? Is urban revitalization bad too?” NBER Working Papers. Woldoff, A. (2011). White flight/black flight: the dynamics of racial change in an American neighborhood. Cornell: Cornell University Press. Read More