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Spatial Mismatch: From the Hypothesis to the Theories

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  • Zenou, Yves
  • Selod, Harris
  • Gobillon, Laurent
Abstract
Since the 1950s, there has been a steady decentralization of entry-level jobs towards the suburbs of American cities, while racial minorities ? and particularly blacks ? have remained in city centres. In this context, the spatial mismatch hypothesis argues that because the residential locations of minorities are disconnected from suburban job opportunities, low-skilled minorities residing in inner cities face adverse labour market outcomes. The reason why distance to jobs may be harmful to minorities has, however, long remained unclear, while the abundant but essentially empirical literature on spatial mismatch has lead to much controversy. The present work presents the main stylized facts associated with spatial mismatch and reviews the main theoretical models that started to emerge in the late 1990s.

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  • Zenou, Yves & Selod, Harris & Gobillon, Laurent, 2003. "Spatial Mismatch: From the Hypothesis to the Theories," CEPR Discussion Papers 3740, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:3740
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    Cited by:

    1. Alois Stutzer & Bruno S. Frey, 2008. "Stress that Doesn't Pay: The Commuting Paradox," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 110(2), pages 339-366, June.
    2. Smith, Tony E. & Zenou, Yves, 2003. "Spatial mismatch, search effort, and urban spatial structure," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 129-156, July.
    3. Emmanuel Duguet & Yannick L'Horty & Florent Sari, 2010. "Housing ownership, social housing and unemployment: an econometric analysis of the Paris area," Working Papers halshs-00809693, HAL.
    4. Elisabeth Tovar, 2008. "Quel périmètre pour la différenciation sociale de l’espace urbain ? Une proposition capabiliste," Documents de recherche 08-17, Centre d'Études des Politiques Économiques (EPEE), Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne.
    5. Harris Selod & Yves Zenou, 2006. "City Structure, Job Search and Labour Discrimination: Theory and Policy Implications," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(514), pages 1057-1087, October.
    6. Philipp vom Berge, 2013. "Search unemployment and new economic geography," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 50(3), pages 731-751, June.
    7. vom Berge, Philipp, 2011. "Search Unemployment and New Economic Geography," University of Regensburg Working Papers in Business, Economics and Management Information Systems 454, University of Regensburg, Department of Economics.
    8. Heisz, Andrew Larochelle-Côté, Sébastien, 2005. "Work and Commuting in Census Metropolitan Areas, 1996 to 2001," Trends and Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas 2005007e, Statistics Canada, Social Analysis Division.
    9. Francois Des Rosiers & Marius Theriault & Catherine Lavoie, 2009. "Retail Concentration and Shopping Center Rents - A Comparison of Two Cities," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 31(2), pages 165-208.
    10. Zenou, Yves & Patacchini, Eleonora, 2003. "Mismatch, Transport Mode and Search Decisions in England," CEPR Discussion Papers 3968, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Heisz, Andrew Larochelle-Côté, Sébastien, 2005. "Le travail et le navettage dans les régions métropolitaines de recensement, 1996 à 2001," Tendances et conditions dans les régions métropolitaines de recensement 2005007f, Statistics Canada, Division de l'analyse sociale.
    12. Alivon, Fanny & Guillain, Rachel, 2018. "Urban segregation and unemployment: A case study of the urban area of Marseille – Aix-en-Provence (France)," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 143-155.
    13. Selod, Harris & Zenou, Yves, 2003. "Does City Structure Affect the Labor Market Outcomes of Black Workers?," IZA Discussion Papers 928, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ghettos; Urban unemployment; Segregation; Discrimination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns

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