Abstract
There is a growing interest in the research community in the local governance of migration and integration. Studies indicate a local turn in integration policies, with local governments becoming important integration policy actors. Unlike most research, this study of recent developments in the policies for migrant newcomers in Denmark and Sweden observes a national turn in local integration policy. Despite their different integration policies, the central governments of both countries have increased their control and influence at the local level and thereby made it more difficult for local governments to formulate their own integration policies. This study highlights the need to complement earlier research based on frame analysis with an analytical framework that takes central government steering and the uneven power relationship between the levels of government into account.
Highlights
There is a growing interest in the research community in the local governance of migration and integration
Most of these studies indicate a local turn of integration policy and that local governments have increased their significance as integration policy actors (Alexander, 2007; Penninx, Kraal, Martiniello and Vertovec, 2004; Penninx, 2009; Caponio and Borkert, 2010; Schmidtke, 2014)
I argue that what we are witnessing is a national turn on local integration policy, where local integration policies and practices are increasingly governed by the state
Summary
Responsibility for introduction programmes is transferred to municipalities. Economic compensation from the state to municipalities. Adaptation of introduction programmes to local conditions. New system of (Bill 1989/90:105 and reimbursement to Ordinance 1990:927) municipalities for refugee reception. In collaboration with the Employment Service give local governments the freedom to take active measures to enable migrants to become self-sufficient. 1992 (Bill 1992:1068) New introductory benefits for refugees and other foreigners. Increased economic incentives for participants in introduction programmes. Municipalities are given the chance to use non-means tested economic support to participants in an introduction programme. New integration policy and Increased normative establishment of the instruments for Integration Board. The new agency is to help municipalities to improve support for new immigrants. Collaboration and improve coordination of introduction programmes
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