Micro-Segregation and the Jewish Ghetto: A Comparison of Ethnic Economies in Germany

Martin Ruef, Duke University
Angelina Grigoryeva, University of Toronto

This paper introduces the concept of micro-segregation as an alternative to ghettoization in order to understand residential patterns and economic outcomes in Jewish communities before the 20th century. The process of ghetto formation is typically associated with the spatial separation of a minority group as a result of racial prejudice and poverty. It operates at a large scale, assumes limited minority property rights or ownership, and posits that the boundaries of the ghetto will be rigidly policed. By contrast, the process of micro-segregation is associated with the separation of a minority group as a result of legal status (often building on ethnic, religious, or other social differences). It operates at a smaller scale, develops in contexts where property rights are complex, and posits that the boundaries of minority districts may be porous, offering sites of economic value and entrepreneurship. To assess the conceptual utility of micro-segregation, we apply it to four case studies in the German states, comparing three prominent Rhenish communities (Cologne, Frankfurt, and Worms), which developed in the late medieval period, with Jewish communities in Mecklenburg that emerged later. Spatial analysis of historical census, tax, and property data suggests that the communities varied substantially in their degree of micro-segregation, but consistently offered economic opportunity at the boundaries of Christian and Jewish worlds. We conclude with thoughts on patterns of micro-segregation in other geographic and historical contexts.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 154. Migrants and Immigration Experiences