Collaborative neighborhood governance, ethnic associations and political integration

This project concerns political integration, ethnic associations, and network governance and planning. A persistent idea in both policy practice and academia suggests that ethnic associations contribute to political integration in society, both as a means for minority group interests and as an arena where individuals with foreign background may develop their political skills and resources. A more recent idea claims that in a world of globalization and multiculturalism, the traditional institutions of representative democracy need to be complemented with procedures for more direct modes of political participation and dialogue.

In this study we aim to investigate the relation between these two ideas by returning to ethnic associations within a local political context characterized by a long tradition of attempts to institutionalize network arrangements and a relatively high number of ethnic minority associations. Such a “return to the field” would make possible a unique longitudinal analysis of the development of the political integration potential of ethnic associations in such a “dialogue”-oriented context. In the project we will study

1. ethnic associations’ activities, members, collaborative relations and position in the community and how they evolve over time
2. attitudes and strategies towards ethnic associations among different local agencies and how these develop over time
3. the ”games” between these actors in relation to specific episodes and critical issues.

Project start

2019-01-01

Funding

Formas

Reserachers

Nils Hertting, Senior Lecturer in Poltical Science, IBF (Project Leader)
Bo Bengtsson, Professor emeritus, Poltical Science, IBF