Unequal Neighborhoods: A Comparative Case Study of Niskayuna and Schenectady

Oftentimes neighboring communities can be unequal in terms of access to resources, job opportunities, housing options, school districts, and more. However, how do the divisions between communities get to the point where their inequalities become strikingly evident? In my thesis I explain that disparate neighborhoods stem from redlining which is carried out in today’s society by real estate agents. Additionally, I outline how white flight and gentrification, working together as gentrification oftentimes stimulates white flight, are major contributors to unequal neighborhoods. The consequences of these processes that perpetuate inequality amongst neighborhoods, including food deserts, racial profiling, and education systems, are delineated and applied to my chosen case study. A relevant example of unequal neighborhoods to the Union College community is the comparison of Schenectady and Niskayuna, therefore these are the neighborhoods examined in the current study. For this comparative case study I explain how the consequences of disparate neighborhoods play out in a real life example. Using my photography background, I utilized visual images taken of Schenectady and Niskayuna to expand upon my written explanation. These photographs add another dimension to my analysis of redlining, gentrification, and white flight, showing how these differences have not only been impacting the neighborhoods in a systematic way, but these disparities have also manifested themselves visually as well. To conclude, my analysis of Schenectady and Niskayuna displays the consequences of unequal neighborhoods in a concrete scenario.