Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the city as unit of analysis for the study of the governance of migration and diversity and sets itself apart from a longer established tradition of research centred on the national level in migration studies. It focuses on both historical and sociological understandings of urban governance. The book then examines how migration histories, and the social constructions of these histories, matter to contemporary urban life and governance of migration and diversity. It also explores how local policies regarding migration and diversity have evolved and affected governance relations at a city level. The book analyses the governance of migration and diversity in three different types of cities, marked by very different migratory patterns and diversity traits. The three cities are: superdiverse cities, divided cities, and border cities.