Priestorová dimenzia príjmových nerovností: teória, koncepty a metódy

Spatial dimension of income inequality: theories, concepts and methods An increase of inequalities in recent years has led to a substantially increasing interest of inequalities’ research both globally and within Slovakia. Income inequalities and their spatial determination are especially becoming more and more viral as a world- wide problem. The intention of this article is to present a brief review of relevant methods of income inequalities’ measurement in a spatial context. The overview of these methods presents a compilation of suitable approaches, classic and current methods suitable for a geographical analyses of researched inequalities. The study reviews a wide spectrum of methods with the help of which the knowledge of the most important aspects of income inequalities might be obtained. A scale of presented methods gives a needed methodological instrument by which we can catch, identify, and obtain knowledge about a current state and level of income inequalities in Slo- vakia too. The results obtained (and their correct selection and application) should be a part of analytical background for programmes and objectives aimed at an elimina- tion of substantial income inequalities. The intention of this article is to present a brief review of relevant methods of income ine- qualities’ measurement in a spatial context. These methods present a compilation of suitable approaches, classic and current methods suitable for geographical analyses of re- searched inequalities. The study reviews a wide spectrum of both older and newer methods to analyse and assess spatial aspects of income inequalities. Many of the reviewed methods, however, miss the spatial dimension. This could be tackled using a population - weighted formula of the method. Many previous studies stood with a population - weighted Theil T as the most suitable method to measure space - related income inequalities. Chinese geographers Wang et al. (2012) even produced an entirely new method to measure geographic inequalities – the PDI index – which might help future research of the phenomenon. A brief empirical research was also applied. It was found that the PDI index as well as Theil T index might be vital when measuring the geographical aspect of inequality.