Social distance

Social distance

Social distance describes the distance between different groups of society and is opposed to locational distance. The notion includes all differences such as social class, race/ethnicity or sexuality, but also the fact that the different groups do not mix. The term is often applied in cities, but its use is not limited to that.

Social periphery is often used in conjunction with social distance. It refers to places distant by means of social relations. It is often implied that the difference is restriced to the distance from the dominant city �lite. The social periphery of a city is often located in the centre.

Locational periphery in contrast is used to describe places physically distant from the heart of the city. These places often include suburbs and are socially close to the core of the city. In some cases the locational periphery overlaps with the social periphery, such as in Paris' banlieus.

In 1991 Mulgan stated that "The centres of two cities are often for practical purposes closer to each other than to their own peripheries." This reference to social distance is especially true for global cities.