Inclusive Immigration and Democratic Revival

The project of American democracy, sometimes called “the American experiment,” has long been understood as one that embraces dynamism. The federalist system uses the states as laboratories of democracy. American cities have been sites of this experimentation, innovation, and exploration of our freedom. The American culture praises the inventor, the entrepreneur, and the cultural vanguard. 

To be dynamic is to be perpetually refashioning one’s culture, one’s identity, and one’s political institutions, yet these processes of change and growth are often painful, destabilizing, and bound to generate resistance, even violent opposition. The cost of dynamism is often painfully evident to the immigrant, forced to break the tightest bonds of community in search of a more hopeful future only to be confronted with a new culture that often fears, demonizes, or marginalizes her. Yet the immigrant experience also highlights the enormous potential of dynamism, for both the individual and for the new community that she joins. 

Our project explores the ways in which diverse and inclusive cultures of democracy generate dynamic and resilient democratic institutions, while narrow and exclusionary cultures produce static and fragile systems. In particular, we analyze the experience of the immigrant and of the refugee as important test cases for whether a democratic culture counts as inclusive or not. The goal is to identify cultural innovations and democratic practices that ought to be encouraged, particularly at a time when polarization, segregation, and xenophobia threaten American democracy. 

We are especially interested in identifying the local sources of cultural vitality in Buffalo, New York, since these are the primary sites for shaping our democratic identities. Finding cultural practices that hold out hope even in areas that have experienced economic decline, segregation, and racial tensions, such as the Rust Belt can provide a template for democratic regeneration in other areas that have already experienced the benefits of inclusion and diversity. 

In this respect, the city of Buffalo, provides an ideal location to conduct our investigation. In 2020, the city of Buffalo grew in population for the first time since 1950. This population increase came primarily from a steady influx of immigrants and refugees. According to the 2022 US census, Buffalo is home to over 10,000 refugees and nearly 20,000 first-generation immigrants (approximately 10.5% of the population is foreign-born). Moreover, the mayor of Buffalo has announced a plan to transform the city of Buffalo into a ‘climate refuge’ — a city that welcomes climate refugees and climate migrants driven to relocate as a result of the environmental devastation caused by global warming. The new wave of migrants and the plausibility of continued high rates of immigration to Buffalo have also brought a dramatic rise in private investment and new opportunities for democratic experimentation. 

There are two components to this project. 

The first is an exploratory phase where students will conduct research on organizations that assist immigrants and refugees in Buffalo. The goal is to understand which organizations have been most effective and what kinds of services are available to recent migrants. The students will also seek to contribute to the community by volunteering and assisting these organizations in ways that the organization leaders suggest would be useful. One of the sites that students will be exploring is the West Side Bazaar. The students will also be reading academic work about migration, democracy, and climate justice to inform their work in the community. 

The second phase leverages the knowledge gained in the first phase to organize a community event entitled "Buffalo as a Climate Refuge City". Ideally we would be able to partner with the Buffalo Museum of Science or another local museum to host the event. The goal would be to bring together students,
scholars, artists, and members of the community to explore what “climate refuge city” means to them as an ideal for the city of Buffalo. This would likely take place in late April.

The main project outcome from the exploratory phase will be: (1) a detailed database with community organizations that assist migrant families and information about the services that they provide; (2) a working paper about democracy, justice, and migration in Buffalo that would be co-authored by the group.

The main project outcome from the community engagement phase is already described above. It involves organizing a community event in April that brings together students, scholars, artists, and members of the community to explore what “climate refuge city” means to them as an ideal for the city of Buffalo. This would likely take place in late April.

Students will need to attend a preliminary meeting with me at the beginning of the semester. This will be their introduction to the project. This is also the time when they will receive a preliminary reading list that will guide the exploratory phase of the project.

immigration, democracy, Buffalo, philosophy, PPE (philosophy, politics, and economics)