Multicultural policies and modes of citizenship in European cities

'Multicultural Policies and Modes of Citizenship in European Cities' is a comparative and multi-disciplinary research project adopted by UNESCOs MOST Programme in July 1996. It is concerned with issues of local citizenship or participation surrounding immigrant or ethnic minority groups, examining ways in which such,groups have gained access (or been confronted with obstacles) to decision-making processes and public resources in fourteen European cities. In this article, some theoretical underpinnings of the project are discussed. These include questions as to why there is currently a need for comparative, policy-oriented research on modes of immigrant and ethnic minority participation, along with why the city is an important, although hitherto neglected, level for undertaking such analysis. The variety of local frameworks and institutions for immigrant/ ethnic minority consultation and participation are described land examples from numerous European countries given), including their different objectives, modes of representation and inherent problems. Finally, the design of the MOST project is introduced in terms of its aims, methods, participants, funding, timetable and forms of dissemination.