The Multi-Layered Governance of Migration in Italy

Table of Contents

1. Frontmatter

2. Chapter 1. Introduction: The Multi-layered Governance of Migration

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This introductory chapter sets the scene for the analysis conducted in the book. It starts from a revealing quote from the former Italian Interior Minister, suggesting that it is crucial to look at cognitive and relational factors to understand the processes that led to key outputs of migration governance during the ‘asylum crisis’. The chapter then specifies the book’s key concepts and research design, explaining how and why the book proposes to look at processes and mechanisms within the European multi-layered migration governance system that led to key outputs produced throughout the ‘asylum crisis’ in Italy. The chapter then illustrates the key themes and findings of the book, how the research was developed, and how the book is organised.

3. Chapter 2. The European ‘Refugee Crisis’ in Italy

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter provides context for the examination of asylum governance in Italy throughout the 2015 ‘refugee crisis’, illustrating its key events. It initially illustrates the policy and legal framework, how the multi-layered governance of asylum is organised and the key actors involved in it. Then, it describes key structural factors, providing data about the scale of flows and public opinion data. Subsequently, it illustrates the key outputs produced by the multi-layered governance system throughout the ‘crisis’, at the subnational, national and EU levels, including policies, levels of political contestation of asylum and public mobilisations. The chapter also introduces the three regions selected as case studies for subnational analyses, and key outputs produced therein.

4. Chapter 3. Making Sense of the ‘Refugee Crisis’

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter illustrates the approach the book adopts to explain the production of key outputs of asylum governance and motivates its relevance using illustrative quotes from interviews which help to prefigure the more detailed focus on subnational, national, and European asylum governance that follows. It initially provides a general overview of the conceptual framework, introducing three intuitively expressed questions that asylum governance actors had to face while elaborating responses to the ‘asylum crisis’ and suggesting some of the ways that governance actors may then go about trying to address these questions. The subsequent sections further develop on such processes, looking at understandings, actions, and interactions and, specifically, at the mechanisms through which they emerge in situations of ‘crisis’.

5. Chapter 4. Migration Governance and Perceptions of Public Attitudes in Veneto

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter explains how and why the Venetian governance system produced a highly politicised and highly inefficient reception system for asylum-seekers. It shows that Venetian policymakers understood asylum-seeking migration as having primarily consequences on public opinion. Extensive demonstrations against reception facilities reinforced policymakers’ pre-existent perceptions, strictly linked to underlying ideas about the Venetian culture, that Venetians display intense hostility towards asylum-seekers. These perceptions led policymakers affiliated with all political parties to adopt passive policymaking approaches and passive stances towards public opinion. These passive stances—and the absence of any coordination within the governance network—contributed to the production of a highly inefficient reception system, characterised by huge and highly contested reception facilities and a very unequal distribution of migrants across municipalities.

6. Chapter 5. Migration Governance and Perceptions of Public Attitudes in Sicily

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter focuses on Sicily, a region characterised by an inefficient reception system during the ‘asylum crisis’ but low levels of political contestation of asylum-seekers’ reception. It shows that Sicilian governance actors interpreted asylum-seeking migration as having first and foremost consequences on public opinion and perceived residents as welcoming towards migrants, despite available surveys suggesting that Sicilians’ attitudes to migration are very negative. These perceptions are grounded on deeply rooted narratives on Sicilians’ tolerance and are reinforced by several focusing events and pro-refugee mobilisations of a very vibrant civil society. Key features of the regional governance network—its decentralisation and low density—contribute to explaining the inefficient asylum management within the region.

7. Chapter 6. Migration Governance and Perceptions of Public Attitudes in Tuscany

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter explains how and why the Tuscany region produced a highly efficient reception system for asylum-seekers throughout the ‘asylum crisis’. This was largely a result of a proactive policymaking approach adopted by Tuscan subnational authorities, which actively coordinated the asylum governance network. Such approach was influenced by centre-left policymakers’ perceptions that Tuscans were largely neutral versus asylum-seeker’ reception; by established repertoires of action and the idea (heritage of Tuscany’s leftist political subculture) that proactive policy approaches have a tendency to generate effective outcomes and foster political consensus; and by centre-left policymakers’ close contacts with local associations. The second part of the chapter examines decision-making processes and actions of policymakers affiliated to populist parties, the M5S and the Lega.

8. Chapter 7. The Drivers of Subnational Migration Governance

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter brings the analysis conducted in the previous chapters together and draws some conclusions about the drivers of subnational migration governance throughout the ‘asylum crisis’ and the mechanisms that shaped the production of outputs and outcomes. By doing so, it shows the recursive and self-referential nature of subnational migration governance and its constitutive effects, meaning how subnational governance systems themselves contributed to produce key outputs such as efficient or inefficient asylum-seekers’ reception systems, high or low levels of political contestation of asylum and migration-related mobilisations.

9. Chapter 8. The EU and Italian Asylum Governance

   Andrea Pettrachin

   Abstract

   This chapter examines how EU institutions and other actors engaged in European asylum governance framed the impacts of asylum-seeking migration in Italy, as well as how they enacted these understandings. The chapter concentrates on the prognoses made by these actors regarding the Italian ‘refugee crisis’, along with the inputs and pressures exerted on the Italian government throughout the examined time frame. Through an exploration of interactions and power dynamics among actors within the EU migration governance system, the analysis reveals which of these understandings, inputs, and pressures were the most influential. It also shows that actors’ understandings and actions at the supranational and national governance levels mutually shaped each other.

10. Chapter 9. The Multi-Layered Governance of the Italian ‘Refugee Crisis’

    Andrea Pettrachin

    Abstract

    This chapter first maps the multi-level migration governance network and identifies political conflicts and cleavages therein. It then examines the interplay between actors’ understandings, actions, and interactions of actors within this multi-layered network, showing that understandings, actions, and governance outputs at the subnational and supranational levels influenced the construction of policy problems and solutions at the national level. In particular, it decisively influenced the restrictive turn in Italian asylum policy implemented in 2017, which led the Italy-Libya agreement to stop migration flows, the restrictive reform of the asylum procedure, and restrictions to NGOs’ SAR operations. This influence was exerted not solely through direct pressure on national decision-makers, but primarily through an impact on national policymakers’ diagnostic understandings of their environment.

11. Chapter 10. Conclusion: The Multi-Layered Governance of Migration

    Andrea Pettrachin

    Abstract

    This final chapter brings together and discusses insights generated by previous chapters of this book to develop some conclusive remarks about the multi-layered governance of asylum in Italy during the ‘asylum crisis’ and about the inner processes and mechanisms that shaped the production of key migration governance outputs. In doing so, it connects to ongoing debates in the existing scholarship on the (crisis) governance, policymaking, and politicisation of migration and other contested political issues. It finally considers potential avenues for future research.

12. Backmatter