Asserting Immigrants' Right to the City
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Summary
This case is about a town in the Midwest US - Beardstown, Illinois - that has seen a surge in immigrants in recent years. While some are welcoming of the immigrant population, there is resistance, and in a few cases, extreme cases of racism. There have been no efforts by government agencies to help immigrants adjust to life in Beardstown. Students will take the role of a teacher in the local school system and citizen planner who believes immigrants are beneficial to Beardstown. They must come up with a strategy to convince the White residents to embrace their new neighbors.
Learning Objectives
Examine the historical, economic, and global dynamics that lead to demographic changes in a small town in the United States.
Explain the urban planning challenges–and opportunities–that come with changing demographics.
Consider the rights to the city of immigrant residents, how immigrants themselves may exert those rights, along with other "citizen planners" who could become allies in building a more inclusive city.
Describe the strategies and tools urban planners could use to proactively plan for the multicultural city.
Case Materials
Instructor Version
Student Version
PowerPoint Presentation
Suggested Readings
Miraftab, F. (2009). Insurgent Planning: Situating Radical Planning in the Global South. Planning Theory, 8(1), 32–50. Read the abstract
Umemoto, K. (2001). Walking in another’s shoes. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 21(1): 17-31. Download the full paper
Alinsky, S. D. (1971). Rules for Radicals. New York: Random House.
Griffis, R. & Ross, S. (n.d.). Between the Bottomlands & the World, a video series about the history of Beardstown, IL. Act Three: Moving Flesh is especially relevant to this case study. Watch the videos
Fincher, R., Iveson, K., Leitner, H., & Preston, V. (2014). Planning in the multicultural city: Celebrating diversity or reinforcing difference?. Progress in Planning, 92, 1-55. Read the abstract
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