Project Description

The main purpose of this research project consists in the research of how Territorial and Urban Planning (for different planning levels and implementation processes) supports an effective territorial and urban integration of immigrant people and ethnic minorities, in what concerns spatial distribution and features of their dwellings and jobs.

The main issues examined thoroughly are: economic and geographic social stratification, according to the country of origin, relations between employment/unemployment, the race/ethnic group, and the spatial dwelling location (and respective neighbourhood features) and job location (and respective features), and relation between the kind of dwelling ownership, the dwelling features, their spatial location/distribution, and the socio-economic-cultural features of each ethnic group.

An integrated and interactive model for alternative urban policies monitoring and simulation is proposed, aimed to enhance better immigrant integration. It is based on the new-fashioned neural networks methodology, and their urban and territorial impact may be evaluated at once through its cartographic display in Geographic Information Systems. It is emphasized the importance of the inter-relations among the planning processes and the urban economics, and the active role decision agents should play in regulation, orientation, coordination and control processes of land use and employment enhancement, that should stimulate the progressive integration of immigrant and ethic minority groups in a mutually beneficial way to themselves and to the urban progress as a whole.

Research Team

• Emília Maria Malcata Rebelo
• Luis Tiago Paiva

Financial Support

• FCT

Stage of Progress

• Concluded in 2004