Spatial segregation is a key characteristic of contemporary urban development and reflects deep social and economic inequalities. Roma communities are among the most vulnerable groups affected by processes of spatial isolation, often concentrated in peripheral and socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Despite the growing body of scientific research on the topic, there is a lack of a systematic overview of the development, structure, and thematic focus of the field. This study aims to present a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific publications on spatial segregation in urban environments, with a focus on Roma communities, for the period 2020–2026. The analysis is based on data extracted from the Dimensions database and applies a combination of descriptive and network-based methods implemented through VOSviewer. The results indicate a growing scholarly interest in the topic, characterized by an interdisciplinary nature that brings together sociology, human geography, and urban studies. The co-occurrence analysis of terms identifies three main thematic clusters: classical studies on segregation and ethnic groups; theoretical approaches from social and urban geography; and economic and transformational processes in urban environments. Citation and co-citation analyses reveal a fragmented structure of the scientific field, characterized by the absence of a dominant theoretical framework and the presence of multiple interconnected research strands. The overlay visualization demonstrates a clear evolution in thematic focus—from earlier studies related to housing conditions and descriptive analyses to more recent research addressing spatial policies, public spaces, and institutional mechanisms, with an increasing emphasis on Roma communities. The findings confirm that spatial segregation is a multidimensional and dynamic process shaped by the interaction of social, economic, and spatial factors. This study contributes to the literature by systematizing the scientific field and identifying emerging research directions, thus providing a foundation for future interdisciplinary and applied research. It also advances bibliometric scholarship through a broader conceptual scope, framing spatial segregation as a multidimensional urban process.

Bibliometric analysis, Roma communities, social exclusion, spatial segregation, urban geography, urban inequality, VOSviewer