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ABSTRACT This paper discusses responses of the city council in Palermo to trends in immigration, in the context of the long-term physical decline of the historic centre. The paper describes these trends, the role and needs of ethnic minorities and problems related to their living conditions in the historic centre. It goes on to assess whether the specific issue of planning and ethnic minorities can suggest new approaches to a wider re-analysis of planning practices.
Palermo as an European, African and Asiatic city: this is our identity. This is why I, as a human being and as a Mayor-and proud to be a Palermitan-, feel bound to remark that our City is both a port and a gate; it has always welcomed every pilgrim; it is proud and honoured to have as a patron saint, together with Saint Rosalia, a saint whose skin was black: Saint Benedict. (Leoluca Orlando, Mayor of Palermo)
These Moors are changeable in their wills--fill thy purse with money. (William Shakespeare, Othello, 1.3.347)
Introduction
Within a general context of urban decay, the historic centre of Palermo has-like many other southern Italian towns-specific characteristics and problems: a rich cultural history; a great concentration of monumental and historic buildings; a complex and dynamic physical structure; an increasing density of development; a physical decay of buildings, social deprivation of the inhabitants; depopulation; and slowness and inadequacy of public policies (Cannarozzo, 1990; Lo Piccolo, 1996; Caudo & Lo Piccolo, 1998). However, in spite of decay and depopulation, Palermo's historic centre (250 ha in area and with about 27 500 inhabitants out of the city's total of 750 000) retains the strong identity of a great capital, underlined by the richness and variety of its architecture. Moreover, it continues to have a recognizable role in the wider urban context.
In recent years new forms of migration and growing ethnic diversity have led to fundamental transformations in economic, social and cultural structures in Palermo and especially in its historic centre. Migrations-mainly from Northern and Central Africa, but also from the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Mauritius-change demographic, economic and social structures (Tosco, 1994), and produce a new cultural diversity, which often brings into question national and local identity. Although not strictly comparable with the rest...