After her PhD at the Institute for Analytical Sociology (IAS), Linköping University, she continues her research as a post doc at the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation and the Urban Science Laboratory at the University of Chicago.
"The Mansueto Institute and the Urban Science Lab are interdisciplinary, my colleagues have backgrounds in fields like archaeology or climate science. Everyone thinks about cities in very different ways. I contribute with a sociological perspective, particularly informed by the extensive body of research on segregation rooted in Chicago, so of course it's special for me to be here."
People´s choice
Laura Fürsich received her doctorate at Linköping University, spring 2024, with a thesis on people's choice of, for example, place of residence and how social networks can shape segregation.
Her studies have shown that segregated social contexts can create "cliques" in society where groups live segregated with a social influence within the group. Something that can promote long-term segregation. But these patterns can be broken, among other things through social infrastructure where people meet naturally, such as libraries, sports halls, cafés and so on.
"Sweden offers excellent data for this type of research, including detailed information from the Swedish Tax Agency and population registers. We now also have access to geo-tagged data, which allows us to better understand the built environment and how spatial arrangements influence social interactions. Segregation remains a pressing issue in Sweden, particularly as the population has shifted significantly over recent decades. These changes compel us to examine the societal implications and develop more informed strategies for addressing segregation."
Simulations
In her research, she uses simulations or Agent-based Modeling. The simulations are designed to function as a social laboratory, where she experimentally manipulates how individuals interact – something we could never try out in the real world. Based on that, she has been able to analyse different behaviour patterns.
"My research focuses on understanding social processes within spatial contexts, particularly how social networks and social influence maintain residential segregation. It combines sociology, urban planning, and social network analysis to uncover how these mechanisms operate."
She continues to work with Swedish register data and is particularly interested in groups that move between different "cliques" or that are in a kind of borderland.
"If we can look at the people who are socially and spatially mobile, it can tell us something about how to make better decisions at a societal level. It will provide some answers to where society needs to make changes."
"It is very likely that they also have a certain income, which reflects their parents' income. And that they have different opportunities and paths in life. In Sweden, research shows that there is a reproduction of social classes."
What is your project about in Chicago?
"I am building on the work I have done during my doctoral thesis. I think it’s important that when we discuss segregation, it's not just about physical separation — it's about the boundaries between groups. Even when people from different groups live near each other, they may not interact. But even when they live in separate spaces, they might have some other shared affiliations or characteristics. I'm particularly interested in the role of social infrastructure or social institutions in bridging these gaps."
What are your experiences from Linköping University?
"The research climate at IAS is fantastic, and I am grateful to have worked with all of them there, for example Maria Brandén, Sarah Valdez, and Benjamin Jarvis. IAS is not hierarchical, and it's easy to ask questions and collaborate, which has been a huge asset", says Laura Fürsich.
