Oost-West mobiliteit en de bestuurlijke europeanisering van steden: een vergelijkende studie van de cases Gent en Rotterdam

Abstract

Little research has examined the Europeanization of urban governance. This article seeks to plug this gap in the literature by comparing the political reactions of the cities of Ghent and Rotterdam with regard to East-West mobility. We focus on two dimensions of the Europeanization of urban governance, namely (1) the impact of European integration on the urban policy agenda and (2) the development of urban policy strategies on a European scale. Although Ghent and Rotterdam have both experienced an increase of East-European newcomers, the urban governance process shows important distinctions. Whereas the growth of East-West mobility aroused debate about Ghent’s self-proclaimed progressive policy culture, Rotterdam’s reaction verged on the limitations of lawful intervention. The article concludes that the Europeanization of urban governance does not necessarily lead to mutual convergence, but is dependent on the interplay of the national/ regional context, the urban political culture and the strategies of urban actors.