Arrival infrastructures and migrant newcomers in European cities

One of the big issues European societies face is the immigration of an increasing number of migrants from various parts of the world. While European states grapple with the management of immigration flows, the challenge faced on the ground is, in fact, the challenge of migrant inclusion and exclusion. Our established paradigms for examining immigration assume that migrants settle in areas populated by white national majorities, or that they join their co-ethnics in so called 'ethnic neighbourhoods'. However, today, new migrants often move into super-diverse places which are settled by previous migrants of various backgrounds. Such areas have also been described as 'arrival neighbourhoods' which have seen long histories of immigration. Although there is a wide-reaching policy and research agenda concerning migrant integration, little is known about the role of long-established migrants regarding newcomers' settlement. They have received scant policy attention and there is minimal empirical evidence on what incoming migrants do when they first arrive and how they find support. The project asks what factors facilitate the settlement and social mobility of newcomers in such arrival areas. It draws on the notion of arrival infrastructures, constituting a concentration of actors, institutions, and organisations which facilitate arrival, and putting the spotlight on the special role played by long-established migrants. What kind of support do long established migrants provide to newcomers? To what extent are particular constellations of AIs crucial for newcomers? Or are there forms of exploitation, for example by providing substandard housing or lowly paid jobs?
The project will break new ground in integration theory by moving beyond ideas of 'mainstream society' to which newcomers should adapt, and by putting the spotlight on a wide range of actors in the receiving society, rather than just on migrants. Through a comparison of arrival areas in Dortmund, Brussels, and London, the project will contribute crucial new knowledge about current processes of migrant settlement. It will:

- Map formal and informal infrastructural sites in each neighbourhood, ranging from ethnic businesses, to civil society organisations and religious sites. Face-to face surveys, questionnaires and interviews with individuals working in these sites will assess their role in supporting newcomers.
- Assess the role of these sites from the point of view of newcomers by undertaking in-depth interviews and walk-along participant observation with migrants.
- Assess the role of differing immigration, integration and welfare regimes in each site, including existing forms of inequality in shaping AIs and the ability of long-established migrants to support newcomers.

The project will examine a range of AIs indifferent realms:
- Public spaces: Squares, transport hubs, markets, parks, playgrounds, etc.
- Businesses: Small enterprises, launderettes, Internet cafés, hairdressers, nail salons, newsagents, mobile phone shops, money transfer agencies, cafes, restaurants, etc.
- Civil Society: Community organisations, religious sites, NGOs, language classes, food banks, sports clubs, etc.
- State: Libraries, citizen's advice, health services, language classes, etc.

The project will deliver economic and societal impact by providing new knowledge on migrants' settlement strategies and the role of long-established migrants. It is often assumed that assistance for settlement comes through formal channels, agencies and programmes, and councils often lack knowledge on the informal channels through which newcomers find settlement information. By providing in-depth information of settlement processes and the role of AIs, the project will create an authoritative evidence base for joined-up policy formulation with respect to migrant settlement. In doing so, the project will help to increase the effectiveness of public services and enhance the newcomers' quality of life.

The project will produce societal and economic impact by engaging a wide array of users and beneficiaries. In addition to the academic beneficiaries listed above, it will address three different audiences: National and local governments; local voluntary and community organisations; and public realm service providers who might provide support to newcomers (shop keepers, religious leaders, landlords, etc.). It aims to:

a) Inform national and local governments: Local councils often lack knowledge on the channels through which newcomers find settlement information, and some councils feel overburdened with dealing with high numbers of new arrivals The project will contribute to local councils' development of support provision for new arrivals and inform national and local governments and policy makers about settlement strategies and needs of new arrivals, including the provisions provided to newcomers by long-established migrants.
The project will not only provide empirical evidence of migrant settlement, but also platforms of knowledge exchange between councils, civil society organisations and public realm service providers (such as shopkeepers, landlords, etc.). The team will hold two practitioner workshops in each research area, bringing together and putting into dialogue all three types of stakeholders, i.e. local government, civil society and those working in the public realm. One practitioner will be invited from each city context to provide information about their context and facilitate the international co-production of knowledge. The workshop discussions will inform the research direction and local government and community organisations' strategies to support newcomers. This will enable better cross-fertilisation and knowledge exchange between these groups. Reports from these workshops will be published on the project website and circulated to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Home Office, the London Mayor's office, the local borough councils and their equivalent government departments in Dortmund and Brussels, and relevant voluntary organisations in each city.

b) Inform and engage civil society organisations: The project will contribute to civil society organisations' strategies and activities aimed at supporting newcomers. Throughout the project we will work closely with civil society organisations, including migrant-led and possibly less established organisations. We will achieve impact through 1) two practitioner workshops mentioned above, which will facilitate international knowledge exchange; 2) informal conversations and networking with individuals working in such organisation, and staying in contact with these individuals throughout the research; and 3) Presenting research findings to organisations, for example language providers and advice centres. A range of civil society organisations have offered their support to the project (see letters of support). These networks will ensure the sustainability of the research and the dissemination of its findings, helping ensure that a wide range of beneficiaries will engage with the research.

c) Provide public realm service providers with information about settlement services: Preliminary research in Newham has shown that public realm service providers such as shopkeepers are keen to know more about where they can refer costumers who ask them about, for example, jobs or English classes. In addition to the practitioner workshop which will bring the different interest groups together, we will collaborate with local councils and organisations to compile lists of services for new arrivals, which public realm service providers can draw on when being approached by individuals asking for information. This will give public realm service providers, who are often the 'first call' for newcomers, the tools to refer newcomers to relevant services and organisations.