Research Note: A Path Forward for Understanding Latino and Asian Panethnic and Ethnic Subgroup Residential Segregation

In this research note we address measurement challenges in the study of residential segregation to advance our understanding of the segregation of Latino and Asian ethnic subgroups. Our primary purpose is to address some of the key methodological barriers to advancement in this area, and we also answer this question: Do we miss important patterns of segregation when we study Latino and Asian panethnic groups versus ethnic subgroups? Research has been hindered by problems with segregation index bias that are exacerbated when studying the segregation of smaller groups, as well as by a limited understanding of different patterns of uneven distribution that certain segregation indices, such as the dissimilarity index, cannot capture. Using a carefully chosen segregation index corrected for index bias, we find some variation in Latino and Asian ethnic subgroup segregation that warrants disaggregating panethnic groups, but more importantly we find that segregation of these groups is much lower than previously understood. This latter finding is because index bias and the choice of segregation index can have major impacts on our understanding of these patterns, with the separation index emerging as a superior method of measurement. These findings support the study of ethnic subgroup residential segregation, so long as researchers make careful decisions about segregation measurement.