Spatial Mismatch: From the Hypothesis to the Theories

43 Pages Posted: 25 Feb 2003

See all articles by Laurent Gobillon

Laurent Gobillon

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST); National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED)

Harris Selod

National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA); National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST); The World Bank; Paris School of Economics (PSE); World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

Yves Zenou

Monash University - Department of Economics; Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IUI); IZA Institute of Labor Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Stockholm University

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: January 2003

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 centers. In this context, the spatial mismatch hypothesis argues that because the residential locations of minorities are disconnected from suburban job opportunities, lowskilled minorities residing in inner cities face adverse labor market outcomes. However, the reason why distance to jobs may be harmful to minorities has long remained unclear while the abundant but essentially empirical literature on spatial mismatch has led 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.

Keywords: Ghettos, Urban Unemployment, Segregation, Discrimination

JEL Classification: J15, J41, R14

Suggested Citation

Gobillon, Laurent and Selod, Harris and Zenou, Yves, Spatial Mismatch: From the Hypothesis to the Theories (January 2003). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=382787 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.382787

Laurent Gobillon

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST) ( email )

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Harris Selod

National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) ( email )

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National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST)

15 Boulevard Gabriel Peri
Malakoff Cedex, 1 92245
France

The World Bank ( email )

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Paris School of Economics (PSE) ( email )

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World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

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Yves Zenou (Contact Author)

Monash University - Department of Economics ( email )

Australia

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IUI) ( email )

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Sweden

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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United Kingdom

Stockholm University ( email )

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Sweden

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