Riots and subways, a relationship moderated by the neighborhood’s income level

Title
Riots and subways, a relationship moderated by the neighborhood’s income level
AuthorCarlos Cartes, Kenzo Asahi & Rodrigo Fernández
Line(s)Acceso y movilidad
Year of Publication2022
Journal TitleScientific Reports
Keywords
Psychology and behaviour, Statistics
Abstract

Social disturbances due to socioeconomic and political factors received media attention during 2019 in places like France, Hong Kong, Chile, Nigeria, Sudan, Haiti, and Lebanon. In October 2019, Chile saw massive demonstrations in the capital city of Santiago. The cost of damage to infrastructure during the first month of unrest was estimated at US$ 4.6 billion, and the cost to the Chilean economy was about US$ 3 billion, 1.1% of its Gross Domestic Product. This study analyzes how the topology of the public transport network affected the locations of the 2019 riots in Santiago. On average, we find a clear association between proximity to the subway network and riot density. This association is significant only in neighborhoods with residents in the highest and lowest income quartiles. As a result, when analyzing social unrest and the critical role of public transport, policymakers should also consider the crucial role of income.

Doihttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14859-7
Corresponding AuthorKenzo Asahi kasahi@uc.cl