MACMILLAN Local Migration Policy: Governance Structures and Policy Output in Swedish Municipalities

This book examines local migration policy in Sweden in light of the European migrant crisis. The novel approach of this volume covers both local governments’ policies on admission of immigrants and their efforts for enhancing social integration. The focus is on the division of responsibilities between political levels, examined through theories encompassing both governance structures and output and outcomes of policy. Sweden is a rare example where migration policy has undergone massive changes in the last decade. During the crisis, the country received some of the largest flows of immigrants in relation to its population compared with other European countries. Drawing from statistical material, case studies and a rich body of interviews, this innovative work provides a valuable resource that aspires to investigate the significance of the local level of government in migration policy. The objective is to reach general conclusions that go beyond the realms of the empirical focus. Review Lidén and Nyhlén ably synthesize past theories and findings from the US and EU, and contribute their own mixed-method investigation of Sweden, to understand the factors that shape local governments’ immigration and integration policies. Their examination of Swedish local governments provides a notable contribution to the literature given these municipalities’ historical autonomy in this sphere, and recent changes related to Sweden’s prominent role in resettlement during the migrant crisis. In particular, they highlight a convergent move toward more active local integration policies over time, even as municipalities’ immigration and integration policies may move in divergent directions. (Abigail Fisher Williamson, Political Science Department and Public Policy & Law Program and Director of the Centre for Hartford Engagement and Research (CHER), Trinity College Hartford, Connecticut, USA) This book provides a long-awaited overview of local migration and integration policy in Sweden, targeting an international and Swedish readership. In a very systematic manner, the authors present the institutional setting considering the most important legal and administrative changes of the last decade. This not only makes it a highly topical book; thanks to the inclusion of essential findings from governance research and rich empirical data from three Swedish municipalities, it is also a valuable contribution from a theoretical and methodological point of view.   (Sabine Kuhlmann, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Potsdam, Germany) This book is a powerful contribution on how to empirically theorize the local turn in migration studies, focusing on the link between policies and governance structures, in a European context of crisis. Gustav Lidén and Jon Nyhlén offer a detailed and well informed multilayered account and integrated analysis of Swedish cities. Conceptually clear and theoretically comprehensive, combining methods, spatial and temporal axis of analysis. From a migration research lens the outcomes presented are impeccable and clear… It’s an enjoyable read. (Ricard Zapata-Barrero, Department of Social and Political Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) Drawing on a mixed methods approach featuring statistical analysis, document studies and interviews, Lidén and Nyhlén increase our knowledge about the capacity of local institutions and officials to step up to a major organizational and humanitarian challenge. Students of local governments and public institutions have much to learn from this intriguing study. (Jon Pierre, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Sweden) From the Back Cover This book examines local migration policy in Sweden in light of the European migrant crisis. The novel approach of this volume covers both local governments’ policies on admission of immigrants and their efforts for enhancing so