The Intercultural City: Planning for Diversity Advantage

The Intercultural City: Planning for Diversity Advantage

Drawing together all strands of the research project, Phil Wood and Charles Landry's book The Intercultural City: Planning for Diversity Advantage was published by Earthscan in November, 2007.

In a world of increasing mobility, how people of different cultures live together is a key issue of our age, especially for those responsible for planning and running cities. New thinking is needed on how diverse communities can co-operate in productive harmony instead of leading parallel or antagonistic lives. Policy is often dominated by mitigating the perceived negative effects of diversity and little thought is given to how a 'diversity dividend' or increased innovative capacity might be achieved.

The Intercultural City, based on numerous case studies world-wide, analyses the links between urban change and cultural diversity. It draws on original research in North America, Europe, Australasia and the UK. It critiques past and current policy and introduces new conceptual frameworks. It provides significant and practical advice for readers, with new insights and tools for practitioners such as the 'intercultural lens', 'indicators of openness', 'urban cultural literacy' and 'ten steps to an Intercultural City’.

This book is a fantastic achievement by the authors. Firstly, they give a broad but manageable overview of what has appeared in the literature with regard to interculturality, as well as what concrete policies have been pursued in various countries and cities in the world; secondly, the authors arrive at a number of practical recommendations that can be used by town councils. In short, a valuable, and highly useful study.

Alderman Orhan Kaya, Vice-Mayor of the City of Rotterdam

‘This book reminds us – with both proof and passion – that there can be no truly creative or competitive cities without first having curiosity, compassion, conviviality and co-operation.’

Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

‘Wood and Landry have emerged as the leading exponents in the UK of the path from multiculturalism to interculturalism, ….Their refreshingly grounded approach builds on actual examples and provides inspiring stories of the social and economic benefits of embracing diversity. They have developed ways of seeing through an intercultural lens, and have outlined indicators of openness and interculturalism, that are pathbreaking. A must read for those involved in city building, community development and place making.