CASE STUDY - Spatial exclusion (Detroit)

Question 1

What were the major economic issues in Detroit?

Answer 1

1. In 2013, 36% of the population of Detroit were living below the poverty level.
2. nearly 1/3 of all city properties are abandoned - major losses for landlords (notorious for its urban blight)
3. In 2012, over half of Detroit property owners did not pay taxes (loss of $131 million to the city).

Question 2

What are the major social issues in Detroit?

Answer 2

1. Detroit has the largest unemployment rate out of the 50 largest cities in the USA (due to the brain drain - the process of middle class, high-skilled workers migrating out of the city to the suburbs).
2. In 2000, the annual homicide rate was 41.6 per 100000 residents.
3. Detroit has lost over 60% of its population since 1950 - caused a major change in the racial composition due to the white flight following WW2.

Question 3

What is globalisation?

Answer 3

The process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchange.

Question 4

How has globalisation has a negative impact on Detroit?

Answer 4

The city concentrated its entire development on the automotive industry (companies like General Motors).

Due to increased transport links, the imports of Japanese cars rapidly increased in the 1980s and by 2005, Japanese corporations were producing over 1/4 of the total US output within the country.

Question 5

What is spatial exclusion?

Answer 5

Where certain groups are either restricted from or ‘feel out of place’ in certain places.