Neighbourhood choice and neighbourhood satisfaction in violence-induced segregated urban environments

Abstract

A major resultant consequence of urban violence in multi-ethnic cities in recent time, is segregation along ethnic, religious or ethno-religious divides. Using the segregated Jos city of Nigeria as a case, this study examined the level of difference between neighbourhood satisfaction of residents whose central factor of neighbourhood choice is the restrictive force of violence-induced segregation and those of varying factors. The result of the tested hypothesis using independent sample t-test revealed that the strength of the difference in the mean neighbourhood satisfaction of the two groups, is very low; thereby implying that in violence-induced segregated urban environments, no significant difference existed between the neighbourhood satisfaction of the inhabitants who reside in their current neighbourhoods due to the compelling circumstance of segregation and those who freely chose theirs on the platform of non-segregation factors. The need then arises for the investigation of the predictors of neighbourhood satisfaction in this type of urban setting.