Land of Strangers: From a Politics of Social Ties to a Politics of the Commons

Ash Amin discusses his new book, "Land of Strangers: From a Politics of Social Ties to a Politics of the Commons". He states that the impersonality of social relationships in the society of strangers is making majorities increasingly nostalgic for a time of closer personal ties and strong community moorings. Whereas multiculturalism has been steadily 'downgraded' on the policy agenda both in the UK and other parts of Europe during the 2000s, social life at neighbourhood level is increasingly characterised by an everyday negotiation of categorical boundaries such as migration histories, religions, migrant statuses, and socio-economic disparities. This series will focus on emerging empirical research and methodologies that engage with such localised, intercultural processes. The presentations are based on findings from a range of different settings, including London, northern England, the Netherlands and Germany, and also focusing on new 'zones of encounter' that go beyond the traditional inner-city perspective.