Demographic Transformation, Eroding Social Capital and Segregation on Outskirt Areas of Hungarian Cities

This paper examines a relatively overlooked aspect of the post-socialist demographic transition in Hungary: the socioeconomic changes and segregation processes occurring in the outskirts of urban areas. Outskirts primarily consist of transport infrastructure, agricultural land, and natural spaces and are regulated differently from inner urban areas, which encompass the majority of the urban fabric. However, certain specialised outskirts have become permanently inhabited over the course of history. On the edges of developing urban centres, these inhabited outskirts, which are characterised by a unique mix of amenities and detriments and missing services as well, became a destination for a diverse range of immigrants. Through field research and semi-structured interviews conducted in four Hungarian agglomerations, this study explores the social changes and emerging patterns of segregation in this distinctive part of the rural-urban fringe. The findings point to an erosion of social capital, increasing spatial differentiation, and segregation. The paper also points out that while many interviewees conflated deprivation with ethnicity, this perception is not supported by other evidence.