How to identify and typify arrival spaces in European cities—A methodological approach

Abstract

In the context of increasing mobility in recent decades, numerous studies have analysed the impact of migration on urban spaces. International immigration is mainly concentrated in certain urban areas, with these so-called arrival spaces offering important opportunities for migrants to gain a foothold in their new surroundings. However, the current state of research provides just limited ways of identifying and typifying these spaces. On the one hand, there are no transferable, quantitative concepts. On the other hand, current discussions tend to focus on socio-economically deprived spaces, neglecting more affluent areas. To identify a city's different (and partly newly emerging) arrival neighbourhoods and to adapt local policies to the specific needs of their residents, we have developed a methodological approach to identifying and typifying arrival spaces on a small-scale level. Using the case study of Dortmund in Germany, this paper presents this approach and its transferability to other European cities.