National Center of Competence in Research – The Migration-Mobility Nexus
Matteo Gianni and Walter Leimgruber
Perimeters of Multilayered Democratic Citizenship in a Mobile and Multicultural World
Project Summary
This research project examines the current transformations of citizenship in urban contexts of super-diversity and is conducted in the two cities of Brussels and Montreal. In particular, we explore different understandings and practices of citizenship, how multilayered citizenship relates to ‘traditional’ and urban citizenship, and how citizenship and social cohesion can be assessed in a mobile society.
The project connects the anthropological field research on citizenship with political philosophy of multiculturalism and mobility in multilayered governance settings. Our innovative transdisciplinary approach links closely normative and inductive empirical ethnographic analyses. Increasing migration and mobility erode the congruence of society, politics, and territory; they challenge social cohesion, and the meanings and perimeters of citizenship. Focusing on nation-states is no longer sufficient to analyze these challenges, as supranational organizations, sub-state nations, federal entities, and urban contexts significantly shape different citizenship regimes.
Acts of citizenship carried out by citizens and migrants reject categories of national migration policy on the city level. The city is a platform of identification.
The authority of city governments remains limited in its support of acts of citizenship.
‘Urban Citizenship’ should complement national citizenship to offer a multi-layered conception.
Social cohesion requires inclusive migration policies.
Citizenship should be an inclusive process based on equal treatment.
