Research project Trajectories of vulnerability

In the Swedish debate, spatial differences in living conditions have increasingly been identified as one of society's major challenges (Delegationen mot Segregation, Delmi). While large population groups enjoy better material living conditions than perhaps ever before, other groups are living in both economic, social, and housing insecurity.

Perhaps most evident in metropolitan areas, affluent and vulnerable groups are found in different places. With a special focus on vulnerable groups, and based on a life-course trajectory approach, the purpose of this project is to clarify the mechanism behind this spatial sorting and to explore the social consequences of increasing geographical polarization. Thus, in this project we want to analyse how different vulnerable groups have fared in the Swedish society and in the housing market. One expected outcome is that the project will show how current policies may be revised in order to promote better outcomes for vulnerable groups. Such policies can focus specifically on neighbourhoods with a concentration of vulnerable groups, but can also include broader measures to counteract the consequences of increased inequality.