Class Activity: Analyzing Residential Racial Segregation Using Census Data and an Interactive Map

Abstract

In this classroom activity students will use an interactive map based on 2020 Census data to identify and analyze residential racial segregation across the United States.  Using the black-white dissimilarity index, students will describe and analyze residential segregation in their local metropolitan area, as well as cities in different regions of the...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Demography, Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems, Public Policy, Race, Class and Gender, Racial and Ethnic Relations, Social Change, Urban Sociology, Visual Sociology

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

College 100, College 200, College 300

Class Size(s):

Medium, Small

Usage Notes

Directions:

1. 
   
2. Give a brief overview of residential racial segregation and the ways that it is measured, especially the dissimilarity index. The dissimilarity index measures the percentage of a group’s population that would have to move to a different neighborhood for each neighborhood to have the same percentage of...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Understand what residential racial segregation looks like in their local area and how it compares to other metropolitan areas.
2. Analyze the reasons that the U.S. has high levels of residential racial segregation and the reasons that segregation varies across the United States. Analyze the role of institutional racism in residential racial segregation.
3. Gain experience using and analyzing data and maps and understand how segregation is measured.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Students will spend time discussing their findings in their small group, analyzing them, and applying concepts/topics from class to their findings.
2. Students will present their findings to the class and analyze and discuss what they found.
3. We further discuss this topic as a large group, and I summarize the key points and findings and how they relate to concepts from class.
4. On the next quiz, there are several questions related to this activity.