Sociologist Dr. Chad Farrell investigates the racial and ethnic contours of America's urban neighborhoods

Dr. Chad Farrell, a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at UAA, and Dr. Barrett Lee, Department of Sociology, Penn State University, have published an article titled "Racial Diversity and Change in Metropolitan Neighborhoods" in the journal Social Science Research. In one of the largest demographic studies of its kind, the researchers analyzed U.S. Census data from more than 30,000 neighborhoods (tracts) for the decade between 1990 and 2000. Farrell and Lee find that, despite persistent racial segregation in large cities, most neighborhoods are becoming more diverse and this trend applies across racial and ethnic groups. However, white populations tend to diminish rapidly in the presence of very high diversity levels and a shrinking (but still large) segment of the white population remains in low-diversity neighborhoods. Latino population growth has emerged as a primary demographic force driving neighborhood change in diverse urban areas.

Dr. Farrell is currently on sabbatical analyzing recently released 2010 census data.