Making Sense of the Multilevel Governance of Migration: City Networks Facing Global Mobility Challenges

This book explores the relationship between city networks, multilevel governance, and migration policy, arguing that multilevel governance is the result of converging interests and views between network organizations and national governments. It is a comparative study of city networks in the European Union and the United States.

Format: Hardback
Length: 215 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate relationship between city networks, multilevel governance, and migration policy. By examining a diverse range of city networks operating within the European Union and the United States of America, multilevel political contexts, it seamlessly integrates migration research into dialogue with policy studies and political science. This groundbreaking work stands as one of the earliest comparative studies of city networks and migration, presenting a compelling argument that multilevel governance emerges as a contingent outcome of converging interests and perspectives among leaders in network organizations and national governments. Notably, even within the supranational EU system, national governments continue to hold a pivotal gatekeeping role in shaping migration policies.

The book explores the complex dynamics that shape city networks and their role in governing migration. It sheds light on the ways in which these networks facilitate the exchange of ideas, resources, and knowledge among cities, enabling them to respond to migration challenges more effectively. It also examines the ways in which multilevel governance structures, such as regional governments, subnational governments, and local governments, interact with city networks to shape migration policies.

One of the key findings of the book is that multilevel governance is not a fixed or predetermined phenomenon, but rather a dynamic and evolving process. It is shaped by a range of factors, including political ideologies, economic interests, social norms, and cultural values. The book argues that the convergence of interests and perspectives between leaders in network organizations and national governments is a crucial driver of multilevel governance in the context of migration.

Furthermore, the book highlights the importance of national governments in the governance of migration. While city networks play an important role in responding to migration challenges, national governments retain the authority to set overarching migration policies and regulations. They are responsible for implementing these policies at the national level and ensuring that they are consistent with international legal frameworks and agreements.

In conclusion, this book offers a valuable contribution to the study of city networks, multilevel governance, and migration policy. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the complex relationships between these three domains and sheds light on the ways in which they interact to shape migration outcomes. By examining the case studies of different city networks and multilevel governance structures, the book offers practical insights and recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers interested in addressing the challenges of migration in urban contexts.

Weight: 464g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030825508
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022