Physical-spatial and social configuration at neighborhood level, the Raval (Barcelona), an urban evaluation according with the Compact City Model Edwin Javier Azofeifa Valverde ABSTRACT In urban areas, economic development and efforts for improving the quality of citizens' lives, instead of complementing each other and contributing to the advancement of the city, both of them generate and accentuate the processes of physical and social fragmentation in cities. This thesis describes and evaluates the physical-spatial and social configuration in the neighbourhood of Raval in Barcelona, with a particular focus on the role played in that configuration by the immigrant population. The aim is to identify how those processes in which social inequality and a lack of access to certain services and facilities manifest themselves. In order to illustrate this reality and understand the configuration of Raval, population data and information regarding services, facilities, and urban furniture were gathered. The concept of compact urban development (the compact city model) was used in order to interpret the potential weaknesses in the neighbourhood, which hinder its functionality. The main drawbacks are the predominance of population groups occupying certain spaces hindering their potential integration in the...

TITLE: CURRENT LABOUR MIGRATION TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC: THE SYNTHETIC STUDY OF INTEGRATION MODELS OF THE THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS The aim of the thesis is to describe a process of an integration of eight groups of third country nationals in Czech society by using findings of several researches conducted in Czechia since the late nineties of the 20th century. The information about immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Arabic countries and about immigrants from countries of Sub-Saharan Africa are structured in accordance with a concept of integration as a multidimensional process, suggested by Friedrich Heckmann and Wolfgang Bosswick. The work reveals a high internal diversity of researched groups in terms of a type of a residence permit which individuals possess, socioeconomic attributes, phase in a life cycle of individual, relationship of individual to the country of origin and his or her future plans about settlement in Czechia. These diversities are reflected in a number of different patterns and levels of integration of compatriots in a spatial, structural, cultural, interactive and identification dimension of integration. There is a research perspective change in the closing part of the thesis. This change is done in order to highlight those kinds of migrants'...

After Sweden, among other European countries, received a record number of asylum seekers in 2015 and 2016, the public discussion on integration of newcomers to the Swedish society intensified. One of the important means of such integration, as well as one of the fundamental human rights, is access to relevant information – knowledge refugees need to settle at a new place. This study looks into the information practices of one of the largest group of newcomers to Europe – the Afghans – based on the case of Kronoberg County in the Southern Sweden.   Grounded on Reijo Savolainen’s (2008) theory of everyday information practices, this study applies the combination of McKenzie’s (2003), Mwarigha’s (2002), and Berlo’s (1960) analytical models to explore the informational behavior of asylum seekers and check if it is accommodated in the communication strategies of different agencies involved in the integration process. To reach these objectives, a set of interviews was conducted with both Afghan newcomers and representatives of different governmental and non-governmental organizations.   The results of the conducted research and analysis may be summed up to one major topic. While Swedish reception and integration system is effective in reaching out to the newcomers and providing them with task-related information, the structure of the system impedes the provision of general orienting information and guidance, which is in great demand among the asylum seekers. Therefore, development of a parallel system of information can be noticed, with personal relations and authority of the local opinion leaders in the core of it. It is concluded that such division should not be seen as a threat to the integration of newcomers, rather as a supportive mechanism on its intermediate stage. Still, it is important to promote policies that foster active personal contacts between Swedes and newcomers – for example, mentorship programmes.

Effective integration of migrants should be seen as a multidimensional process that requires commitment and partnership of all stakeholders. In the Czech Republic the integration is shifting to the local level increasingly. It is a slow process followed by various difficulties, but it creates a number of challenges to cooperation of civil society organizations, boroughs and other stakeholders. The thesis focuses on the cooperation of actors in the area of integration of migrants from third countries in Prague, where the situation is influenced by a number of specific factors. Based on the studies and analysis of available materials and conducted interviews, work explains how and in what areas cooperation of actors works or does not work. Work presents which positives, barriers and potential capacity of cooperation see representatives of civil society organizations, boroughs and state institutions as well.

Depuis le début des années 1980, les élus locaux ont progressivement construit leur capacité à répondre au « problème » de l’intégration des étrangers. Cette mise à l’agenda politique a émergé en raison de sollicitations de la part du pôle associatif de l’espace local de la cause des étrangers et d’une dynamique de territorialisation des politiques d’ « intégration des étrangers » encouragée par l’État. Toutefois, c’est avec l’arrivée de nouvelles équipes municipales en 1989 que les exécutifs municipaux ont accru leurs revendications pour de nouvelles compétences sur cette thématique. Cette dynamique d’affirmation de nouvelles compétences pour les villes s’est poursuivie au cours des décennies 1990 et 2000 aussi bien dans l’espace européen que face aux autorités étatiques. Néanmoins, l’institutionnalisation d’une politique municipale d’ « intégration des étrangers » peine à avoir lieu en raison d’un engagement politique qui reste limité et de la montée en puissance d’un paradigme concurrent, celui de la « discrimination ethno-raciale ». Finalement, les exécutifs municipaux ont délaissé une action visant à résoudre les phénomènes de discriminations et d’exclusion socio-économiques des populations étrangères et de leurs enfants. L’enquête menée met en lumière plusieurs ressorts de cette dynamique générale. En premier lieu, elle permet de démontrer la force de la variable politics dans la conduite de l’action publique. Ensuite, l’enquête permet de saisir le rôle joué par la scène européenne dans le processus de contestation de la suprématie des autorités étatiques par les villes. Enfin, l’analyse des dispositifs mis en place par les trois villes étudiées révèle l’usage du critère ethnique dans le façonnement de la figure de l’ « étranger » visé par les actions municipales d’ « intégration ». / Since the early eighties, local politicians have started to claim their competencies to solve the « problem » of « integration ». Activists in favour of migrants and some national organisations have acted to make that “problem” a top priority on the political agenda. With new mayors elected in Lyon, Nantes and Strasbourg in 1989, cities have been clearly determined to increase their competencies on this topic in front of the State. This process was also noticeable at the European level in network of cities even if French cities stressed out the specific French philosophy of integration. In the 2000s, the setting up of units dedicated to “integration” reveals how local policies on “integration” have started to be institutionalised. However, the rising issue of the fight against discrimination has provoked the disappearance of an active local policy to solve the socio-economic issues migrants and ethnic minorities are facing. Our analysis reveals how politics do matter in policies and how the European level is seen as an opportunity to criticize the supremacy of the State. Last but not least, whereas France is described to be blind to ethnic communities, we stress out how city actions are laying down ethnicity to determine who is a « foreigner ».

This diploma thesis focuses on the integration of Ukrainian migrants in the Czech Republic. In connection with the increasing emigration potential of the Republic of Ukraine due to the ongoing civil war, the thesis will be an analysis of the Czech Republic's current integration policy towards foreigners from third countries with an emphasis on migrants from Ukraine. Significant changes in integration policies started after the accession of the Czech Republic to the EU, contextual documents and other public policy measures aimed at systematizing the integration of migrants from third countries. Thus, the aim will be to analyze publicly-relevant documents, which outline the essence and determinants of the Czech Republic's integration policy towards migrants from third countries. The Czech Republic responds sensitively to migratory trends, but more emphasis put on current immigration from Ukraine. Therefore, another goal will be to unveil the integration policy exclusively towards the Ukrainians in the Czech Republic. Finally, the ultimate goal is to understand on the basis of the interviews, what barriers the Ukrainians have in the Czech Republic for integrating into the host society. The life course theory helps to identify what trajectories they choose to integrate in their individual dimensions.

The research sought to study the integration experiences and challenges of immigrant students in a private secondary school in the Tshwane North district in Gauteng. The study focused on investigating the experiences of immigrant learners when integrating with the local learners at the private secondary school. Integration denotes how various cultural groups interact within the bounds of a single society. Scholars argue that the dominant group in a society sets the tone and determines the nature of the integration activities and objectives. However, in other instances integration is facilitated by both the immigrants and the host people. Literature review helped the researcher to gain a broader and deeper knowledge base of the concept of migration and experiences faced. Literature review indicated the sociological and economic explanations for migration. Literature covered integration of immigrants, assimilation and acculturation. Sources of stress for immigrant students and cross-cultural adaptation were also outlined. The investigation was a case study research. Mixed methods were used to collect data. The researcher used questionnaires, interviews and observations. Questionnaires were issued to 28 immigrant learners who participated in the study. The 28 immigrant learners were also interviewed in order to obtain richer data. All indications show that the integration process at the school was positive. The results of the study showed that most immigrant learners have friends among local learners. The immigrant learners disclosed that local learners were friendly to them. Many immigrant learners indicated that they would be interested in learning local languages. / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)