ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on labour migrants as 'newcomers' or 'ethnic minorities', the relation of the host society toward these 'exterior Others' is often shaped by previous or ongoing interactions with other types of Strangers. It proposes to link explicitly between the concept of host-stranger relations and local policies toward labour migrants. Regarding the spatial dimension of host-stranger relations, Bauman's distinction between modern and postmodern perceptions is again useful for understanding local urban policies, e.g. regarding migrant enclaves. The implication was that slums or ethnic enclaves were temporary, or potentially so under the right conditions. The postmodern city, in contrast, is characterized by the openness and fragmentation of spaces, with an unprecedented flow and mix of people, lifestyles, architectural forms and functions. The concept of host-stranger relations provides several insights into why and how local residents, as well as local authorities, respond to the arrival and settlement of newcomers.
