Cities are made by people who inhabit them. European cities over the 20th century have been strongly shaped by domestic and international migration as well as urban social movements, civil society action, and political protest of various forms. This conference at the German Historical Institute in Rome is designed to illuminate the historical relations between these two factors in urban history: migration and urban activism. It brings together scholars discussing the history of urban developments subject to activism by migrants, against migrants, and for migrants. These three perspectives shall contribute to a more systematic understanding of important processes in our cities to which European historiography hitherto has paid relatively little attention.

International conference of the German Historical Institute in Rome, University of Vienna (Department of Education), Osnabrück University (Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies), Sapienza Università di Roma and Utrecht University.