Trends and patterns of life-trajectories segregation in Sweden 2000-2019: Is there increasing spatial polarization in Sweden ?

Juta Kawalerowicz , Stockholm University
Bo Malmberg, Stockholm University
Eva K. Andersson, Stockholm University

In this paper we explore the extent to which distinct types of life course trajectories are spatially sorted and how this sorting changed between 2000 and 2019. The analysis is based on a classification of all individuals aged 16-69 living in Sweden using life-course data for five overlapping life-phases: Transition to adulthood (16-29), Young middle age (25-39), Middle middle age (35-49), Late middle age (45-59), and Transition to adulthood (55-69). The life course position of each individual is assessed on the basis of an age-relevant selection from 15 indicator variables that track educational progression, household status, economic status of the household, employment, retirement, and life status. Using information on these indicator variables a trajectory of up to 14 consecutive years, individuals have been classified into different life-course trajectory types with help of latent class analysis run all all available register years, 1990-2019. Subsequently, the trajectory composition of local neighborhoods has been explored using individualized neighborhood approach that identifies the nearest 400 neighbors relative to 225,000 inhabited grid cells, and the computes the proportion belonging to different life-course trajectories. In the last step, the degree of spatial sorting is explored using the separation index, a measure of exposure. Much research looked at ethnic or sociology-economic segregation, with this paper we hope to offer a unique insight into spatial sorting along the life-trajectory lines.

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 Presented in Session 114. Internal Migration, Spatial Inequalities and Segregation