Contested Neighborhood Boundaries and Intergroup and Intragroup Violence

Abstract

This paper expands the concept of contested neighborhood boundaries to account for spatial variation in violence across urban neighborhoods. We argue that contested boundaries—defined as spaces in which one group holds a narrow majority in close proximity to a large minority group—will contain the highest levels of intergroup violence. Conversely, levels of intragroup violence will be comparatively low in these areas, as contested spatial boundaries will give rise to more clearly defined group boundaries, increasing solidarity and placing downward pressure on intragroup conflict. We assess this bifurcated perspective by appending geocoded data on over 13,000 violent crimes to 359 Census block groups in St. Louis, MO for the period spanning 2010 to 2014.