Paper short abstract:

This paper looks on ‘repertoires of activism’ ranging from public protest to informal or even individual engagement, in cities which used to be very cosmopolitan but are not anymore: cosmo-poleis turned into mono-poleis. It asks how gentrification, tourism and new immigrations influence how the past cosmopolitan activism is remembered and used.

Paper long abstract:

Nowadays, many people in Europe would like their cities to become less ethnically diverse than they are. Narratives against ethnic diversity, but also those which defend it, are heavily influenced by civic activism in its broad range of political standpoints and incarnations (from informal groups through NGOs to mass protest). But what happens when urban diversity really decreases? While academics, media and citizens argue on benefits and threats of the new ‘super-diversities’, little attention has been paid to what happens when cities become less ethnically varied. Similarly, little is known regarding the impact ethnic diversity has on activism. Finally, the role of migrants / ethnic minorities as (grassroots) political actors has been largely overlooked. This paper is the first step into a new multi-sited (visual) ethnography project which asks: what is the role of the decrease of ethnic diversity for repertoires of grassroots activism? And also: what is the interplay between the gentrification on the one hand and new immigrations on the other hand on how the past cosmopolitan activism is remembered and (re)enacted.