Mapping Diversity in Social History

The paper is an overview of diversity in history, starting as far back as the societies in classical Ancient Europe and traditional non-European societies, where differentiation was basically between the enslaved and free population and the out-of-caste in India. With the end of slavery the European feudal society adopted a functionalist tripartition based on priests, warriors and peasants. The analysis continues in pre-industrial Europe (1500-1800), where in many cities class struggle was represented by the conflicts between crafts and between cities, with some participation of the élites. In 17th century England only one class existed, and class struggle was the struggle inside one class. Other considerations on the stratification of pre-industrial society are related to classes inferred from empirical subjectivity, social hierarchy and horizontal and vertical solidarity. In industrial society, the paper discusses the Marxian, Weberian and Marshall models and the syncretism between status and class. The second part of the paper is devoted to diversity outside formal society with the definitions of the processes that generate the marginalization of people and social groups, while the third part of the paper concerns the urban milieu and social integration/differentiation. Considerations are made on urban topography (e.g. ghettos, “miracle courts”, etc.) and on the relationship between topographic position within the urban tissue and positioning in the social pyramid. Finally, the last part of the paper is an excursus on the historiographic assumptions and policies toward diversity and marginality.Diversity, Marginalization, Social history, Social integration, Social Differentiation

Geographic Agglomeration and Colocalization of Two -Digits Manufacturing in Vietnam Using Discrete-Space Models

The paper aims to investigate the geographic employment distribution and the industrial concentration of two-digit manufacturing industries in 2010 among provinces and the main five municipalities in Vietnam using discrete and continuous-space statistics. The evidence shows that Vietnam was characterized by high inequality in terms of employment concentration where the strength flows of dwellers’ migration towards more developed areas reinforced the disparity. It is notable that few locations led the country’s economic growth such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Dang Nang, Long An, Binh Duong and Dong Nai. Besides this imbalance, an agglomeration bell emerged around Ho Chi Minh favouring a regional integration. Furthermore, the research shows a relative high concentration of low technology intensity industries, whereas medium-high and high technology intensity industries have a relative low employment concentration in Vietnam in 2010. This could be explained as the difficulties of those industries to recruit suitable skilled workers as low trained labour forces characterized the country, which does not favour business localization and start-up

Governance of Diversity Between Social Dynamics and Conflicts in Multicultural Cities. A Selected Survey on Historical Bibliography

This paper is an excursus on multiculturalism from a historical perspective. It ranges from the encounters of different cultures in ancient times, through the Middle Ages, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation period up to the present times. It describes the peculiarity of the solutions adopted, juridical or social, formal or informal. Although it is difficult to classify the various attitudes towards foreigners, a decisive distinction should be made between modern history and previous times. Until the 19th century the number of migrants was significant in a historical perspective, but limited in absolute terms. May this fact have helped the hosting institutions to encourage a favourable policy towards foreign settlements? Another distinction must be made between high qualified migration and humble and unskilled workers. Cities’ histories are full of discriminatory measures towards local immigrants from villages who swelled the ranks of urban outcasts. Finally, it seems clear that the category of multiculturalism, as a premise for the successful integration of foreigners can only be applied with precautions to historical examples. The challenge of the clash of cultures was tackled differently in past societies, without necessarily meaning that those societies were racist or xenophobic. Successful examples of integration and development with the contribution of diversity in the past could involve exclusion and discrimination apparently unacceptable nowadays.Social dynamics, Conflicts, Multicultural cities, Diversities