The Politics of Immigration in Multi-level States ― Governance and Political Parties

This book draws the first contours of a theory of immigration in multilevel states addressing two themes: governance and political parties. It connects multilevel politics literature with immigration studies examining not only how, and by whom, immigration policy is decided and implemented at different territorial levels, but also how it has became an important dimension of party competition across multilevel states. Six countries have been examined in depth by leading scholars from various disciplines and methodological backgrounds: Belgium (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels), Spain (Catalonia), Canada (Quebec), the United Kingdom (Scotland and London), Italy (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Calabria), Germany (Bavaria), together with the unitary state of the Netherlands and its two competing cities (Amsterdam and Rotterdam). Sharing a common concern for territory and immigration, the editors, Eve Hepburn and Ricard Zapata-Barrero, seek to catalyze and shape future research in this important new field.

Eve Hepburn is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Depute Director of the Academy of Government at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and Co-Convenor of the ECPR Standing Group on Federalism and Regionalism. Her research explores comparative territorial politics, multi-level governance, immigration and regionalism in Europe and North America. Her recent publications include Using Europe: Territorial Party Strategies in a Multi-level System, New Challenges for Stateless Nationalist and Regionalist Parties and Independence Movements in Subnational Island Jurisdictions.

Ricard Zapata-Barrero is Professor of Political Science at the Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain. His research explores contemporary issues of liberal democracy and citizenship in contexts of diversity and immigration. His recent publications include Diversity Management in Spain: New Dimensions, New Challenges and Addressing Tolerance and Diversity Discourses in Europe: A Comparative Overview of 16 European Countries.