Local context, network ties, and organisational autonomy: Latino civic life in Barcelona and Madrid compared

Abstract

ABSTRACT How does local context shape immigrant civic life? This article addresses the question by comparing Latino associations in Madrid and Barcelona, cities in Spain with comparable rates of immigration and civic organising. Drawing on 63 interviews with Latino leaders and stakeholders, I show that three contextual factors – municipal funding priorities, overcrowding, and local political history – promote network configurations that, in turn, influence organisational agenda setting. In Barcelona, these factors encourage ethnic bonding networks that facilitate the implementation of large-scale celebrations, protests, and social service projects, yet render groups vulnerable to political party intrusion. In Madrid, the factors lead associations to instead form bridging ties with mainstream non-profit organisations, while diminishing opportunities for pursuing large, independent projects. The results encourage scholars to understand local context as a field that structures relations between immigrant organisations and influences organisational autonomy.