This thesis explores the relationship between urban fragmentation and the spatial segregation of non-EU immigrant communities in Europe. While previous research has linked infrastructural barriers to ethnic group boundaries in American cities, this study argues that such findings
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This thesis explores the relationship between urban fragmentation and the spatial segregation of non-EU immigrant communities in Europe. While previous research has linked infrastructural barriers to ethnic group boundaries in American cities, this study argues that such findings cannot be universally applied due to unique historical contexts in different regions. The study aims to not only identify connections between urban fragmentation and segregation but also to contextualize these connections within the local dynamics of various European cities. We employ a mixed-method approach. The quantitative component involves constructing spatial patterns of urban fragmentation using OpenStreetMap data and segregation patterns using data from the European Commission's Data for Integration (D4I) initiative. These patterns are compared using mutual information to assess their similarity. Synthetic urban fragmentation patterns are also generated to ensure observed similarities are not the result of random chance. The qualitative component involves examining the local contexts of selected cities to understand the specific factors influencing segregation. From the 106 cities analyzed, only 33 showed statistically significant relationships between urban fragmentation and segregation patterns, with 26 showing positive and 7 showing negative correlations. These findings indicate that the relationship between urban fragmentation and immigrant segregation is not a generalizable phenomenon in Europe. The city-level analysis of nine cities across seven countries reveals that factors such as urban decay and housing quality, rather than infrastructure, are more closely associated with immigrant concentration. Future research should investigate segregation patterns among other social groups and explore broader impacts of infrastructure on vulnerable populations beyond urban fragmentation.