Welcome Dayton: glocalization, the global mobility of people, and ethically engaged activist citizens

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cities historically provided the environment for the contentious integration of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Since 2011, during a US national debate over a wave of anti-immigrant state initiatives, the city of Dayton, Ohio, USA became the instrument for intentional integration by adopting a citizen led declaration to welcome immigrants and refugees. This essay documents Welcome Dayton, a community-initiated welcoming plan that was the byproduct of ‘transformative mediation’ practices and ultimately endorsed by the City of Dayton. Using participant observation and interpretive methodologies, we illustrate the connections between Dayton’s community-led, immigrant-friendly city initiative and the global migration of people. We also engage with three sets of literatures: on municipal immigrant integration, welcoming cities, and global studies (GS). We find that when placed in conversation, these literatures further demonstrate that globalization is about real and tangible relationships between the global and the local.