Refugees and the Revitalization of 'Shrinking Cities': Challenges and Opportunities

In the past years, mayors and planners in Europe and the U S have discussed the revitalization of so called ‘shrinking cities’ by welcoming refugees.One of the most well known examples is Cleveland’s Dream Neighborhood (Day 2017 The idea has gained new momentum among city officials in Europe following 2015 ’s “long summer of migration migration” (Hess et al 2016 during which many refugees sought asylum in Europe and beyond. ‘Shrinking cities’ struggle with the effects of depopulation as major driver of urban shrinkage Refugees, so it is hoped, can help reverse population losses and, by that, shrinkage in general However, is it really that simple? While the argument of abundant housing is strong in times more and more people on the move, long term considerations must go beyond mere accommodation (Meier 2018 The thesis investigates belonging as important social, political and personal factor which needs to be drawn into consideration when discussing refugees’ role in revitalization processes.