Spaces & Flows: Ninth International Conference on Urban and ExtraUrban Studies

Abstract

Processes of urban development involve a steadily increasing diverse range of actors and stakeholders. In addition to traditional actors such as the municipal administration, civil-society actors, economic actors, and citizens are gaining importance. As they join formal and informal processes of urban development, they form a crucial new resource. In numerous popular paradigms of urban development (Knowledge-Based Urban Development, Creative City, Smart City, etc.) participation and civic involvement are key elements for accelerating planning procedures and gaining new actors in urban development. Besides raising diversity in the process of urban development, migration is another fundamental trend in cities. In particular, so-called “nomads of knowledge” are considered drivers of processes of urban development. From the perspective of two research projects on migration and urban development, this paper raises a question concerning the practice of a Knowledge-Based Urban Development against the background of current urban migration realities, particularly in times of increased forced migration. We examine the roles and specific attributes affiliated, on the one hand, with the “participating citizen” and, on the other hand, with the “refugee to be integrated”. We ask moreover, how these attributes manifest themselves and are negotiated in the local context of a “knowledge city”, such as Heidelberg. Finally, we sketch and discuss the interrelations between various forms of migration and mobility and future questions of urban development.