Abstract

This study examinesI study the relationship between innovation, income segregation, and income inequality in US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) between 1991 and 2009. I theorize that innovation increases income segregation by disproportionately benefiting the creative class, affluent innovators whose living preferences are most powerful, at the expense of the poor in cities. Using a multivariate regression analysis, the data show that innovation in both decades has a very significant causal relationship with income segregation at the top and bottom of the income distribution and income inequality for the 2000s. The descriptive data show that the distribution of innovation is wildly unequal between MSAs with an astronomical skewness and kurtosis for both decades. As an MSA innovates more, the significance between innovation and the segregation of poverty deteriorates to an insignificant level by 2009. The data supports my theory that the innovation and the creative class are the main group increasing income segregation in MSAs.

Advisor

Valdez, John

Second Advisor

Corral, Alvaro

Department

Political Science

Disciplines

American Politics

Keywords

innovation, income segregation, income inequality, gentrification, metropolitan areas, creative class, economics

Publication Date

2020

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2020 Ian Ricoy