Beyond Patterns: Values, Preferences, and the Persistence of Residential Segregation in Quito

Despite social change and integration policies, residential segregation persists in cities worldwide. In Latin America, unique forms of segregation emerge from the complex interplay of class, race, and ethnicity. Although research has extensively documented segregation patterns, understanding the processes that generate and maintain these patterns remains crucial. This article introduces a novel methodological framework combining means–end chains analysis, participatory geographic information systems, and spatial segregation measures to explore how individual preferences and underlying values contribute to maintaining segregated spaces. Focusing on highly mobile individuals in Quito, Ecuador, I analyze how the value systems guiding residential decisions perpetuate segregation. The results indicate that middle- and high-income young adults’ preference for segregated areas is largely unrelated to housing structural characteristics and is almost exclusively determined by the symbolic values assigned to location, closely tied to issues of security and social capital. By revealing how individual values translate into residential choices that reinforce segregation, this methodological approach offers new insights for policy interventions aimed at fostering more inclusive cities.