Building the Intercultural City: From Practice to Policy and Back

Transcription

1 Building the Intercultural City: Frm Practice t Plicy and Back Bb W. White, Ph.D. Directr, Labratry fr Research n Intercultural Relatins () Department f Anthrplgy Université de Mntréal

2 What is? The Labratry fr Research n Intercultural Relatins at the University f Mntreal is a space fr research, teaching and expertise in intercultural dynamics. Created in 2010 / apprximately 20 researchers and students Pluridisciplinary apprach: anthrplgy, philsphie, psychlgie, histry, cmmunicatins, plitical science, scilgy Flagship prject: «Tward an Intercultural City» (SSHRC ) Recent publicatin: Lmmba Emng and Bb W. White (eds.) «L interculturel au Québec: Rencntres histriques et enjeux plitiques»

3 «Tward an Intercultural City» (SSHRC )!

4 «Tward an Intercultural City» (SSHRC ) Cntact with the Intercultural Cities Prgram f the Cuncil f Eurpe Mntreal and the ICC index Infrmal encunters between ICC and the City f Mntreal Cmmn reflexin abut plicy design and prcesses

5 Frum Objectives Bring tgether researchers and practitiners specializing in intercultural issues in rder t mbilize knwledge abut cnditins, principles and strategies fr intercultural plicies in cities Facilitate cmmunicatin between actrs and institutins with expertise in intercultural plicy in rder t develp a cmparative analytical framewrk Elabrate a series f cmmn principles that will be able t guide the actins f lcal decisin-makers, analysts and everyday citizens

6 Tls fr the Frum Several ntins r cncepts will be useful thrughut the frum: Prcess: understanding the steps that lead t plicy r scial change; the imprtance f the time as a factr Knts: can take the frm f bstacles but can als cnstitute elements that make links Scales: cities are at the heart f a cmplex, glbal system; meaning changes with differences in scale

7 Frm Practices t Plicies Recurring questin in ur research: What is the best way t reduce the gap between intercultural practices n the grund and intercultural plicies? Plicy frmatin and prcesses Gd understanding f the field Cllabrative apprach

8 Expected Outcmes City-based Case Studies. Each city represented at the wrkshp will be the subject f a shrt case study fcusing n the prcess f plicy design and implementatin in their lcal cntext. Cmparative Framewrk Analysis. Fllwing preliminary research n the different types f intercultural plicies and plicy framewrks, members f the LABBRI intercultural plicies wrking grup will prpse a preliminary versin f this analysis in rder t get feedback frm frum participants and revise the analysis fr future publicatin and disseminatin thrugh the n-line resurce. Prpsal f Cmmn Principles. The final rundtable f the wrkshp will be reserved fr a discussin abut the pssibility f identifying a series f principles that characterise effective intercultural plicy framewrks fr cities anywhere

9 City-based Case Studies Imprtant aspects t keep in mind fr case studies: Each city is unique Dyad mdel (ICC expert, city rep) Obstacles and difficulties: knts Cities part f a larger system: scale Prcess: Hw did we get here?

10 City-based Case Studies Guidelines fr rienting the wrk: 1) What are the necessary cnditins fr creating an intercultural plicy framewrk? 2) What are the best strategies fr ensuring the durability f these plicies? 3) What are the principles that guide actin and planning, especially in times f difficulty r crisis?

11 Practical Thery Wrkshps These wrkshps bring tgether researchers frm with varius nnuniversity research partners. Wrkshps begin frm the bservatin that nnacademics cnduct research als and that t ften institutinal imperatives create a false dichtmy between thereticians and practitiners. These are the bjectives f the Practical Thery Wrkshps: Reinfrce the partnership by creating new links and prjects between the different researchers and partners assciated with the prjet Deepen ur theretical r cnceptual understanding f a theme that directly emerges frm research being dne n the grund Elabrate new tls fr cnducting research n intercultural dynamics

12 The Intercultural Mdel The 3Ds We have identified three pstures r rientatins which influence the way we cnceive f cultural difference: Diversity: recgnize and prtect the plural nature f scieties Discriminatin: fight against inequality and prtect thse wh are vulnerable Dialgue: facilitate encunters and wrk twards mutual understanding The balance between these three rientatins has an influence n the impact and the nature f prgrams and plicies.

13 The Intercultural Mdel Three ways f using the term «intercultural» in Québec: Scial phenmenn (peple frm different cultural hrizns that interact) Public plicy r state-based idelgy («interculturalisme») Philsphy r wrldview (based n a relatinal ethic) Our research prcess cmbines the three uses f the term: Use an intercultural philsphy t study an intercultural reality in rder t make meaningful reccmandatins fr intercultural plicy.

14 The Intercultural Mdel An analysis f theretical r cnceptual framewrks shws the presence f three aspects r mments in intercultural interactins : The shck f difference Mutual explicitatin Search fr cmmn meaning

15 The Intercultural Mdel What are the criteria that we use t identify an intercultural apprach? We are all vectrs f traditin Prmting equality, fighting discriminatin Balance between similarities and differences Creating cnditins fr psitive interactin Taking int the accunt the questin f time

16 Histrical Cntext Québec and the Americas Intercultural dynamics in Québec are part f a lng histry f cntact, nt always harmnius, between peple frm here and peple frm elsewhere Indigenus peple present in the Americas fr millenia In the 16th century, fur empires begin expansin int the Americas, nly France remains a majrity in relatin t its frmer clny. Québec is the nly prvince r state t have French as its fficial language in Nrth America In Canada, Québec is lsing grund in demgraphic terms and this has an impact n its plitical influence and future.

17 Histrical Cntext Québec and Immigratin Fr small natins, especially thse that find themselves in the psitin f natinal minrities, the issue f immigratin represents specific challenges. Since the 1970s, Québec has wrked twards establishing its status as a «sciété distincte» and clarifying the ntin f integratin 1974: Law 22 recgnizes French as the fficial language 1977: Li 101 prtecting French in educatin, wrkplace, etc. 1991: Recgnitin f interculturalism as a framewrk fr integratin The Declaratin f Cmmn Values Cmmitment by future immigrants t respect a series f cmmn values

18 Histrical Cntext Mntréal and Immigratin Mntreal hsts the majrity f immigrants in Québec: Mntréal, ¼ f the ppulatin f Québec, hsts ¾ f immigrant ppulatin Impact and cnditins f immigratin : Mre than a third f its ppulatin is freign-brn; Mre than half f its childre have parents brn in a freign cuntry Ethnic, religius and linguistic splits with the rest f Québec Intercultural framewrk fr integratin: In 2011 Mntréal is recgnized as a intercultural city by the Cuncil f Eurpe Québec uses interculturalism t psitin itself in relatin t Canadian multiculturalism

19 It takes a village We wuld like t thank SSHRC, ICC, City f Mntréal, City f Osl Organizing Cmmittee Steering Cmmittee Facilitatin Team A few annuncements Interpreters First day schedule very full Pster presentatins (1:20 Wednesday and Thursday) Receptin at City Hall (Wednesday) / Benefit night with DAM (Thursday) Vide recrding and cnsent / headphnes / cnstructin n Berri Street