Through research and advocacy, the At Home in Europe project works to advance equality for groups that are excluded from the mainstream of civic, political, and cultural life in a changing Europe. Through engagement with grassroots and mainstream civil society groups, policymakers and practitioners, and residents, At Home in Europe operates in numerous cities in Western Europe. Policies and debates on social inclusion and immigration in Europe currently operate in a context of anxiety about ethnic and religious diversity. This anxiety stems from the shifting demographics brought about by immigration, the perceived erosion of ethnic, national, and cultural identities, and the visibility of diversity.
The rise of populism—defined as ideology or philosophy against current political and social systems—is on the increase, and any response to the protection of minorities in an open Europe also requires a focus on the needs and concerns of the majority, many of whom are also suffering the effects of the economic crisis. This complex situation presents Europe with one of its greatest challenges: how to ensure equal rights and social cohesion in a climate of political tension, global recession, and rapidly expanding diversity.
At Home in Europe works to identify issues that populations share as common concerns, such as access to education, employment, and health, and where there are differences, including on notions of identity and belonging, offers a better understanding of these differences and how they can be overcome. The project undertakes advocacy oriented qualitative and interdisciplinary research, documenting daily experiences and modes through which different groups interact with their city, local government, and wider society. A key aim is to extract models of good practice in European cities on combating discrimination and promoting activities that increase participation and cohesion. Advocacy activities, premised on solid research findings, seek to shape and influence public policies on inclusion, and challenge hostile discourse on religious and ethnic pluralism in Europe.
Advisory Board
Valérie Amiraux
Professor of Sociology, University of Montreal, Canada
John Andersen
Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change, Roskilde University, Denmark
Jocelyn Cesari
Research Associate at the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies and Visiting Professor in the Anthropology Department and Divinity School, Harvard University, USA
Tariq Modood
Professor of Sociology, Politics and Public Policy and Director of the University Research Centre for the study of Ethnicity and Citizenship, University of Bristol, UK
Jonas Otterbeck
Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and researcher at the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES), Lund University, Sweden
Jan Rath
Professor of Urban Sociology and Director of the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Werner Schiffauer
Professor of Comparative Social and Cultural Anthropology, Europa University Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder, Germany
Christianne Timmermann
Director of the Centre for Migration and Intercultural studies, University of Antwerp, Belgium