The results of segregation within a society; ‘a widening gap between individuals, households or groups of people in terms of their economic and social circumstances and opportunities’ (Dorling and Woodward (1996) Prog. in Plan. 45, 2). ‘Differentiation as such is not necessarily a problem, but polarization between the haves and the have-nots is. It becomes even more of a problem if polarization increases’ (Brattbakk et al. (2000) Paper, 2nd Int. Conf. Critical Geog.).