Residential insertion of immigrants in Mediterranean spanish coast: residential co-presence, segregation and local context

Abstract

This article presents the most important characteristics of the residential insertion of immigrants in Mediterranean Spanish coast. It analyses the process in the cities of Valencia and Murcia, and its evolution during the period between 1998 and 2007, and compares it with the process occurred in other cities, as Barcelona and its regions, and Almeria. Our analysis proves the existence of two models of residential insertion. The first one, most extended, of residential copresence. Immigrants are distributed unequally along the urban plot but the residential confine is shared by individuals of different origins. Another model, commonly seen in some regions of intensive agriculture, of residential segregation, in which immigrants, especially those from Morocco, live in Suburban areas and the autochthonous people in the centre of the urban areas. To the physical distance between both housings follows the social distance which has been produced.

In our study we present the most relevant characteristicsurban and social- of these two models of residential insertion and their evolution in the last few years. Besides we explore how these two models adopt slightly different forms depending on the different local contexts which conforms the city, the village and the region, as specific frame of limits and possibilities for social insertion of immigrants.