Whilst there is growing interest in the role of the local level in integration and inclusion, this has often focussed on larger cities with those considered to be ‘super-diverse’ more likely to engage in Europe wide networks to share best practice and influence policy.
This growing gap between ‘cosmopolitan’ cities and smaller cities and towns is the focus of the project Migration, diasporas and planning for cosmopolitan urbanity in smaller municipalities in the UK and Germany, which brings together researchers, policy makers and practitioners from the UK and Germany.
The project aims to identify the needs, opportunities and traps of the urban governance of migration, inclusion, and cohesion and to find ways for smaller cities and towns to develop their own strategies in this field. It draws on comparative expertise from both research, policy and practice in the UK and Germany.
This policy briefing looks at:
- Understanding the research base on integration in smaller cities and towns
- Contrasting policy frameworks in the UK and Germany
- Examples of practice
- Key findings and lessons
This project was funded as part of the Oxford Berlin research partnership seed funding. This report draws on two events held in Berlin in August 2019 and Oxford in November 2020 (digital meeting). The events drew on research and experience from academics, policy makers and practitioners in the UK and Germany.
*header photo credit © Prof. Dr. Felicitas Hillmann
