Life course trajectory segregation and political polarization in contemporary Sweden

Abstract

Abstract Understanding how and why places differ geographically has long been central to human geography—a question sharpened by the growing geographical polarization of political views. Spatial polarization can result from an uneven geographical distribution of life-course trajectories, trajectories that emerge from individuals’ successive positions across interconnected, possibly spatially differentiated social fields such as education, employment, family, and housing. Here we show that the uneven geographical distribution of such trajectories produces landscapes where contrasting life experiences, opportunities, and aspirations become inscribed in geographical space. A key finding is that segregation intensifies over the life-course, with young adults substantially less segregated than older adults, particularly after homeownership transitions. Moreover, studies relying on single indicators such as income and education may underestimate residential segregation strength. Homeownership is a major segregation driver, creating highly separated residential areas in later life phases. The spatial concentration of trajectory types also corresponds with geographical patterns in political polarization.