The Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization of the Polish Academy of Sciences cordially invites you to participate in the conference on "Governing Urban Diversity - Creating social cohesion, social mobility and economic performance in today’s hyper-diversified cities". The Conference will be held in Rotterdam on 8-10 February 2017.

Theme 4: Differing discourses on social diversity between public and non-public actors in urban areas
Coordinated by Ewa Korcelli-Olejniczak (Prof. IGiPZ PAN, Warsaw)

Workshop A4 will focus on how (dissimilarly) various actors involved in the process of governing social diversity in urban areas approach their role and activity. The participants invited will address a wide spectrum of issues related to differing discourses on diversity, the latter broadly understood as the challenge of coexisting in shared space. In the discussion, we will refer to the way public and non-public actors, including local authorities, housing cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, private firms and informal movements think about and practice diversity management. We will consider:

• how individual actors understand social diversity, 
• which challenges they recognize locally and sub-locally, 
• what instruments they develop, 
• which strategies they pursue, 
• on which beneficiaries, they focus. 

When comparing different cities, we will attempt at identifying where and why different actors see diversity as a liability or a development potential and asset that can contribute to enhancing social cohesion, fostering social mobility and strengthening economic performance of cities, districts or neighbourhoods. A lively discussion is expected between representatives of cities that considerably differ in the way social diversity is understood and approached.

Workshop PROGRAMME:

Brief presentation of results of research on governance arrangements and initiatives in an international perspective (Larissa Pluess and Walter Schenkel, Zurich -DIVERCITIES team)

An Annex to DIVERCITIES research - evidence from the Warsaw discourse (Ewa Korcelli-Olejniczak and Filip Piotrowski, Warsaw – DIVERCITIES team)

Panel Discussion involving the following participants: Diane Dyson (Toronto), Jacek Grunt-Mejer (Warsaw), Antoinette Killias (Zurich), Christof Meier (Zurich), Sonia Alves (Lisbon), Allan Cochrane (London).

Discussion and Wrap-up

The panel discussion will focus on the following topics:

• The public and the non-public approach towards urban diversity – IS THERE ACTUALLY A DIFFERENCE?
• The impact of the non-public ‘philosophy’ and experience – CAN PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LEARN FROM The NON-PUBLIC WAY OF THINKING?
• IS A COMPLEX AND COHERENT APPROACH TOWARDS DIVERSITY POSSIBLE?

Registration site: https://www.urbandivercities.eu/governingurbandiversity/