Residential Segregation from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth Century: Evidence from the Netherlands

• Published in: The Journal of interdisciplinary history Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 333 - 369
• Main Authors: Lesger, Clé, Van Leeuwen, Marco H. D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 55 Hayward St., Cambridge, MA 02142-1315, USA MIT Press 2012; The MIT Press; MIT Press Journals, The
• Subjects: 19th century; Canals; Case studies; Cities; Dominance; Economic geography; Economics - history; Elites; Geographic information systems; Geographical information systems; Geography; Historical geography; History; History, 16th Century; History, 17th Century; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; Houses; Housing - economics; Housing - history; Housing - legislation & jurisprudence; Information systems; Mapping; Merchants; Modelling; Neighborhoods; Netherlands; Netherlands - ethnology; Noise; Odorants; Population Dynamics - history; Prejudice; Racial segregation; Real estate market; Rental value; Residence Characteristics - history; Residential Segregation; Segregation; Social Class - history; Socioeconomic Factors - history; Spatial analysis; Towns; Netherlands
• ISSN: 0022-1953; 1530-9169
• DOI: 10.1162/JINH_a_00254

A case study of three early modern Dutch cities (Alkmaar, Delft, and Amsterdam) using geographical information systems and confronting earlier historical, sociological, and geographical models finds clear patterns of segregation below the level of the city block, thus necessitating block-face mapping. The remarkable continuity in patterns of residential segregation is best explained by the workings of the real-estate market, allowing the well-to-do and middle classes to realize their preferences. In Amsterdam, the merchant elites were able to use their political dominance to plan a scenic and expansive residential environment free from noisy and odorous activities.