This research cluster focuses on citizenship, including the boundaries of citizenship: who is entitled to be a member? And what kinds of admissions policies and policies designed to facilitate integration is the state entitled to pursue? This research cluster is home to the Multiculturalism Index, initiated by Professors Banting and Kymlicka, which is designed to provide information about multiculturalism policies in a standardized format that aids comparative research and contributes to the understanding of state-minority relations.
Another important aspect of this theme is how boundaries, legal status, and social status intersect to control access to the rights and other benefits associated with constitutional democracy. Our research addresses this in many contexts, but one clear example is migration, and especially the rights and obligations (of sending states, destination states, migrants and existing citizens) in a world where emigration is an increasing fact of life.
Current Projects
The Multiculturalism Policy (MCP) Index
Co-directors: Keith Banting and Will Kymlicka
The Multiculturalism Policy Index is a scholarly research project that monitors the evolution of multiculturalism policies across Western democracies.
Shared Membership Beyond National Identity
Deservingness and Solidarity in Diverse Societies
Principal Investigators: Keith Banting and Will Kymlicka
Co-Investigators: Allison Harell (UQAM), and Rebecca Wallace (StFX)
Intergroup Relations and the Foundations of Solidarity in Diverse Societies
Principal Investigator: Allison Harell (UQAM)
Co-Investigators: Keith Banting and Will Kymlicka
Insight Grant from the SSHRC (2014)
The Politics of Complex Diversity in Contested Cities
Principal Investigator: Zsuzsa Csergő
Co-Applicants: Keith Banting and John McGarry
Project Manager: Sam Twietmeyer
Funding: Social Science and Humanities Research Council Insight Grant (5 years)
Cross-listed with the Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, Minority Mobilization, and Conflict Resolution Cluster
View the Website: contestedcities.org
Past Projects
Principal Investigator: Keith Banting
Collaborator: Beesan Sarrouh
Funded for one year from the Syrian Refugee Program SSHRC research grant, this project explores the strength and depth of civil society organizations in Toronto, Ontario that have been working to assist the Syrian refugee sponsorship and integration process.
The Immigration, Minorities and Multiculturalism in Democracies Conference was held in Montreal, Canada from October 25-27, 2007. The conference brought together researchers on migration and multiculturalism from across Canada and internationally to present a series of papers addressing concerns ranging from movement and flow of peoples to national and ethnic identity to institutional accommodation and political representation in existing democracies.
You can see the Working Papers Series produced by the conference here: Immigration, Minorities and Multiculturalism in Democracies Conference