Lead researchers
 Jane Jenson, jane.jenson@umontreal.ca |
 Oliver Schmidtke, ofs@uvic.ca |
The intellectual focus
Globalization, the post-2008 economic crisis, rising inequalities, low birth rates, and aging populations make immigration and social policies a primary concern of policymakers in Canada, European countries, and the European Union. There are striking similarities in the challenges these actors face as they seek to maintain social cohesion. While demands for public recognition of ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural differences are growing, public opinion in many jurisdictions is becoming less accepting of such recognition. The balance between immigration and security concerns is sometimes difficult to find. At the same time, high and increasing rates of poverty and unemployment lead to social exclusion and the challenge of identifying policies to foster more inclusive societies. These concerns require innovative policy solutions. This research group disseminates both European and Canadian research findings on innovative policies and best practices in the social and immigration policy domains.
