Panel: Navigating New Realities in Times of Crises: Local-level Governance Challenges and Adaptations in the Face of Ukrainian Refugee Migration

Abstract

The arrival of a large number of refugees poses significant challenges to local governance. Municipalities, responsible for reception, accommodation, schooling and labour market integration of refugees, must constantly adapt to diverse groups’ needs. The recent arrival of people from Ukraine prompts questions of how established structures uphold or transform vis-a-vis new circumstances, and how municipalities deal with scarce material, financial and personal resources. This contribution focuses on how local governments mobilise the knowledge gained in the past and anticipate new developments, often referred to as urban resilience. We claim that the Ukrainian migration is interesting not only because of the application of the Temporary Protection Directive, but also because it overlaps with increase of arrivals from other countries as well as because of the circular character of this flow, and high potential for return. 

We therefore invite contributions focusing on the differences in legal and political approaches to local-level integration governance, with the focus on treatment of various groups of refugees, and how these approaches frame the capabilities of municipal actors. Also, we are interested in research on the implicit approaches to governing integration of different groups. Of particular interest are contributions adopting a comparative perspective, focusing on different countries or different local contexts. Overall, we want to reflect on the actual processes of knowledge mobilisation that took place in different municipalities. 

in-person event