Cohesive Diverse Suburbs in Australia: A Case Study of Policy Processes and Social Media in Footscray

ABSTRACT Melbourne’s population is culturally superdiverse yet there is little focus on inclusiveness in diverse communities. This article will present a case study of Footscray, Melbourne, Australia, examining the following questions: How do government, service providers and civic organisations in Footscray work to build a more cohesive community? How does a local Facebook group work to create a more culturally cohesive community? The findings are based on fieldwork in a multicultural gentrifying inner suburb of Melbourne, and show that inclusion has a clear spatial component, while place-based social media can reinforce and enhance community participation of culturally diverse groups.