The role of local political leadership in the reception of forced migrants: evidence from Greece

Abstract

This article focuses on the role of local political leadership in municipal policy responses to the arrival of forced migrants. Initially, I bring together insights from research on leadership, migration and crisis management to develop a conceptual framework for studying local political leadership in the reception of forced migrants. To this end, I adopt an interactionist perspective and define local political leadership as the product of the interaction between mayors and their leadership environment (institutional and societal context). Subsequently, I apply this conceptual framework to a qualitative comparative case study, using data from desk research and fieldwork in two Greek municipalities. The findings indicate that differences in local political leadership can lead to the development of very different municipal policy responses in the field of forced migrants' reception. In particular, I argue that by exercising interactive and multilevel political leadership, mayors can increase their chances of advancing strategic policy objectives in migration governance, and by extension, strengthen the protection and fulfilment of migrants' fundamental rights. Finally, in the light of the conceptual and empirical insights arising from this research, I emphasize the need to improve the dialogue between leadership and migration scholars, and suggest questions for future research.

The Greek Asylum Regime: From Latecomer on Reception to Inspirational Model on Asylum Procedures

“…There is no redistribution mechanism of asylum applicants in Greece (Dimitriadi & Sarantaki, 2019). This has not prevented municipalities from participating (Sabchev, 2021a) but it has resulted in a patchwork of responses across the mainland with some cities taking a very active role and others actively opposing the presence of asylum seekers (e.g., protests, blocking hotels that would function as accommodation sites). For some cities, like Athens and Thessaloniki, reception is critical as in 2015, they are on the receiving end of significant numbers of asylum seekers arriving from the islands.…”

Resilience and governance of dispersed sub-Saharan migration in Morocco: The case of the refuge-cities of Tiznit and Taza

“…Other similar approaches and concepts have been mobilized in order to account for the causal factors, processes and strategies that shape this new structural parameter that is the urban governance of migration. One prominent example is the concept of political leadership mobilized by Sabchev (2021) in his article on the role of local political leadership in the reception of forced migrants using the example of Greece. The author favors an interactionist approach that promotes the understanding of local political leadership as the product of the interaction between the leader, on the one hand, and institutions and society, on the other.…”

Bordered Trajectories: The Impact of Institutional Bordering Practices on Young Refugees’ (Re-)Engagement with Post-15 Education in Greece

“…Even less research has explored the 'nontypical' educational routes refugee youth may choose to take instead, such as in non-formal settings (Palaiologou et al 2019), from the perspective of youth themselves. Moreover, young people's situated experiences of state practices-in specific cities and regions, with their highly varying local-level responses and socio-spatial characteristics (Sabchev 2021a(Sabchev , 2021b)-could also be further explored.…”