Building immigrant engagement practice in urban planning: The case of Somali refugees in the Twin Cities

ABSTRACT

As the number of resettled refugees arriving in North American and European cities has grown in the 21st century, urban planners have largely failed to adapt their practice in ways that would allow more participation by refugees in municipal planning decisions. Interviews with urban planners and Somali refugees in the Twin Cities of Minnesota indicate that planners typically use public engagement processes that are confusing and intimidating for Somali refugees who may struggle with English, have little leisure time, and lack knowledge about norms associated with participating in these kinds of processes. After living under a predatory state in Somalia, many Somalis view urban planners as an extension of government and distrust them as a result. Urban planners experience more success engaging Somali refugees when they build relationships with individual community members and partner with Somali-led organizations to plan and execute participatory processes.

Acknowledgments

The lead author gratefully acknowledges the City Futures Research Centre at the University of New South Wales for hosting the lead author as a Senior Visiting Fellow for much of the writing of this article.

Funding

This article is based on data collected from “The Somali Diaspora’s Role in Somalia: Implications of Return” project, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (QZA-13/0239).

Notes

1. According to the American Planning Association (2016) Planners Salary Survey, about 86% of planners responding to the survey and providing data on race indicated that their racial identity was White, non-Hispanic. In comparison, the U.S. Census Bureau (2016) reported that about 62% of the U.S. population was White, non-Hispanic.

Additional information

Funding

This article is based on data collected from “The Somali Diaspora’s Role in Somalia: Implications of Return” project, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (QZA-13/0239).

Notes on contributors

Ryan Allen

Ryan Allen is an Associate Professor of Community and Economic Development in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, where he directs the Urban and Regional Planning program. He earned his PhD in urban studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Allen’s research focuses on housing and community development issues. In particular, he investigates the effect of economic shocks, such as the recent housing crisis and recession, on various facets of neighborhoods and community life in the United States. In addition, Allen focuses much of his research and teaching on the experience of immigrants in cities and suburbs of the United States. He is a frequent commentator for local and national media outlets and has published his work in a variety of journals, including Ethnic and Racial Studies, Urban Affairs Review, Housing Policy Debate, and the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

Carissa Schively Slotterback

Carissa Schively Slotterback is Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She holds a PhD in urban and regional planning from Florida State University. Her research focuses on stakeholder engagement and decision making related to environmental, land use, and transportation planning and policy. She is particularly interested in how stakeholders perceive impacts and use information in making decisions, focusing on impact assessment, collaborative decision making, and sustainability planning approaches. She has also led numerous initiatives at the University of Minnesota focused on community engaged research and education.