Decoding Segregation: The topological landscape of segregation forms and a bottom-up ontology

Decoding Segregation: The topological landscape of segregation forms and a bottom-up ontology | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Decoding Segregation: The topological landscape of segregation forms and a bottom-up ontology Vinicius Netto, Kimon Krenz, Maria Fiszon, Otavio Peres, Desiree Rosalino This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6246485/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 17 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Segregation is a widely recognised phenomenon with profound implications, spanning multiple social, spatial, and disciplinary dimensions. Over the past century, its study has exploded across fields ranging from Sociology to Environmental Science, revealing a proliferation of segregation forms (SFs)—yet knowledge remains fragmented and terminologically inconsistent. Contrary to the tendency of reviews to rely on selective or top-down categorization, we introduce a systematic, bottom-up mapping of segregation, analyzing over 100 years of publications to identify 804 distinct SFs and examine their conceptual evolution. We reveal how SFs have multiplied, diversified, and migrated across 169 disciplinary fields through processes of combinatorial and exploratory accretion. By quantifying co-occurrences of SFs, we trace a path-dependent trajectory, demonstrating that earlier forms of segregation often achieve higher centrality and shape subsequent research. Our findings highlight substantial transdisciplinary exchanges alongside persistent disciplinary borders, as well as the role of context in establishing predominant segregation forms. Integrating natural language processing, network analysis, and collaborative coding, we introduce a data-driven ontology that captures the interconnections within this multidisciplinary landscape. Ultimately, this ontology provides a framework for understanding segregation’s relational complexity, navigating the field’s intricacies and identifying underexplored areas—a replicable methodology for investigating other deeply fragmented domains. Social science/Geography Social science/Sociology segregation segregation forms segregation research bottom-up ontology Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files DSSupplementaryInformation1.pdf DSSupplementaryInformation2Codebook.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 10 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 14 Sep, 2025 Reviews received at journal 13 Sep, 2025 Reviews received at journal 27 Aug, 2025 Reviews received at journal 25 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 17 Jul, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 May, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 07 May, 2025 Editor invited by journal 10 Apr, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 10 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 25 Mar, 2025 First submitted to journal 17 Mar, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6246485","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":453372645,"identity":"b30a27f3-0301-401a-a765-eb6eb6f7b63e","order_by":0,"name":"Vinicius Netto","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAu0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBADOfYGktQfSGAw5jkAYUsQrSWxh2gtBtfOHnz88YdNeg97A5t0AcOdOsJabuclGxxISMvt4TnAJj2D4RlhWyRn55hJHEg4nLtfIoFNmofhMFFazH8AtaTzyD8gUgu/dI4Z0PuHE3gkGIjXYixxJi3NsIcnsdl6hsEzyQZCWtikcww/VNjYyPOwHz54u6DiDj9BW5AAYwMzg8EBUnQAATMwVknUMgpGwSgYBSMBAAAKxTaWuwO6ZQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Research Centre for Territory, Transports and Environment | CITTA","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vinicius","middleName":"","lastName":"Netto","suffix":""},{"id":453372646,"identity":"2ded2e9e-8e28-4f7a-9d67-55eedbf9e746","order_by":1,"name":"Kimon Krenz","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University College London","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kimon","middleName":"","lastName":"Krenz","suffix":""},{"id":453372647,"identity":"c10441de-6310-475f-a1fe-e03e46eb8dcb","order_by":2,"name":"Maria Fiszon","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Graduate Programme in Architecture and Urbanism, Fluminense Federal University | PPGAU UFF","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Maria","middleName":"","lastName":"Fiszon","suffix":""},{"id":453372648,"identity":"1ec9973a-361e-4c63-a715-8a5ac314920d","order_by":3,"name":"Otavio Peres","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Federal University of Pelotas | FAUrb UFPel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Otavio","middleName":"","lastName":"Peres","suffix":""},{"id":453372649,"identity":"7b527c92-cb8d-4a48-abcf-e293cb889677","order_by":4,"name":"Desiree Rosalino","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Secretariat of Planning and Management of the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro - 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