Stadtflucht [:urban flight] : Multi-level governance of the refugee crisis

Abstract: The thesis investigates how multi-level governance can explain the actions of urban local authorities in the European refugee crisis between September 2015 to September 2016. The research is building on the increased role and empowerment of local authorities and the harmonisation of migration policy through Europeanisation. Looking specifically at the role of cities is crucial due to the asserted discrepancy of rural and urban local authorities and the vital role of cities in the management of the refugee crisis. By using the method of policy process tracing, the aim of the thesis is to understand what mechanisms of multi-level governance are shaping the policy relation of the local, national and European level. This is employed on three main governance areas of the refugee crisis, namely the provision of basic care for refugees, the management of migration flows and integration efforts. The focus of this thesis is the chosen case study of Vienna in Austria, which sheds light to several insightful mechanisms of multi-level governance during the refugee crisis. The thesis investigates how multi-level governance can explain the actions of urban local authorities in the European refugee crisis between September 2015 to September 2016. The research is building on the increased role and empowerment of local authorities and the harmonisation of migration policy through Europeanisation. Looking specifically at the role of cities is crucial due to the asserted discrepancy of rural and urban local authorities and the vital role of cities in the management of the refugee crisis. By using the method of policy process tracing, the aim of the thesis is to understand what mechanisms of multi-level governance are shaping the policy relation of the local, national and European level. This is employed on three main governance areas of the refugee crisis, namely the provision of basic care for refugees, the management of migration flows and integration efforts. The focus of this thesis is the chosen case study of Vienna in Austria, which sheds light to several insightful mechanisms of multi-level governance during the refugee crisis.