Urban Pariahs: The Residential Segregation of African and Gypsy in Almería

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to measure and to analyse the processes behind the residential segregation of
the Africans and gypsies now living in West Almeria. . To do so the main measuring indexes used sought to
point up segregation, isolation and centralization. Two surveys on this basis were undertaken, in the first
the African and Gypsy population were consulted under socio-economic, cultural and residential headings
while in the second the autochthonous but non-gypsy population made up the sample group and was asked
to give its opinions on the emotions, attitudes and behaviour that the first group’s presence gave rise to. The
findings drawn from both show that both groups offer high segregation counts and that the main causes for
this is to be found in the rabid prejudices and discriminatory bent of the autochthonous non- gypsies, this
along with their presumed economic superiority and, to a lesser degree, simply their preference for the
company of their own sort.