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  4. EXPERIENCED INCOME DIVERSITY IN NYC CITY PARKS

EXPERIENCED INCOME DIVERSITY IN NYC CITY PARKS

File(s)
Wang_cornellgrad_0058F_15447.pdf (2.26 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://doi.org/10.7298/h4xx-jj64
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/126563
Collections
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Wang, Zoe
Abstract

Can urban parks bridge social divides, or do they reinforce them? This study leverages novel mobile device data to analyze "experienced income diversity", which are the actual encounters between socioeconomic groups, within New York City's parks. This study finds that parks are ambivalent spaces: while holding potential for integration, they often reproduce segregation. Spatiotemporal analysis reveals that mixing peaks on spring afternoons but is predominantly accessed by middle- and high-income groups. Lower-income populations experience more homogeneous environments. Critically, park amenities drive this stratification. Facilities like playgrounds foster cross-class interaction for the poor but self-segregation for the rich, while sports courts and water features primarily serve the wealthy. The findings provide a data-driven framework for targeting park investments to proactively foster social integration, moving beyond simple amenity provision to actively manage for equity.

Description
149 pages
Date Issued
2026-05
Keywords
economic diversity
•
experienced diversity
•
urban infrastructure
•
urban parks
Committee Chair
Carruthers, John
Committee Member
Xu, Wenfei
Warner, Mildred
Degree Discipline
Regional Science
Degree Name
Ph. D., Regional Science
Degree Level
Doctor of Philosophy
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Type
dissertation or thesis

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