| This dissertation examines how race, class, and place interact to shape resource access in a complex, heterogeneous city. I start from the premise that many American cities are increasingly economically and ethno-racially diverse. Using qualitative collocation analysis, I argue traditional paradigms of the ghetto, ethnic enclave, and gentrified city focus on structural inequalities between neighborhoods, tying race, class, and place together. As a result, these approaches fail to examine the complexity that exists within neighborhoods. The remainder of the dissertation uses a combination of qualitative interviews, demographic data, and spatial mapping techniques, to examine how structural and symbolic practices shape inequality within neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York. I find that while many resources have increased throughout the region since 2004, daily services such as grocery stores and religious institutions have declined or remain steady. However, despite declines in the overall number of services, high quality resources have become more accessible throughout Brooklyn. In 2004 these were clustered in advantaged areas, however by 2014 high quality resources are distributed more evenly throughout the region, reducing the tight connection with economic disadvantage. However, while residents perceive positive increases in neighborhood establishments, they continue to face economic and geographic challenges to accessing basic needs such as food and medicine. As a result, less advantaged residents must pay additional fees, and spend more time accessing food and medicine. Finally, access to resources and space continue to be governed by race and gender. Women and non-white residents feels policed in space, reducing their ability to use local resources. As a result, while resources have increased over time, they reflect a resource mirage rather than a resource dense oasis. Residents have uneven access to resources, many of which are viewed as sub-standard despite increasing gentrification and neighborhood upgrading. |
