LoReMi: Local Responses to Precarious Migrants: Frames, Strategies and Evolving Practices in Europe

Lead Research Organisation: University of Oxford
Department Name: Sch of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography

Abstract

This project aims at mapping and enhancing local strategies to address the exclusion from essential services of migrants with precarious residential status. It will explore the challenges migrants face, emphasising the particular experiences of women, the services available in some cities such as healthcare and shelter, and the rationales for them. Case studies in Cardiff, Frankfurt and Vienna, in partnership with city councils and consultation with stakeholders, will explore differing approaches to provision within contrasting legal frameworks, including collaboration between public services and civil society. The project will strengthen transnational networking and knowledge exchange, to inform and enhance future practice.
 
Description The study explored city responses to migrants with a precarious status in Europe. It provided new evidence and analysis from research on three cities in Austria, Germany and the UK: Vienna, Frankfurt and Cardiff. It revealed varied and fragmented approaches of municipal authorities towards precarious migrants - a lack of coherence and coordination between departments - and reasons for their reliance on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in service provision. The study developed the concept of precarity in relation to migration status, and demonstrated the importance of horizontal governance arrangements within municipal authorities. It revealed a tension between exclusion and inclusion of migrants who lack rights of access to welfare services; and contributed evidence on the factors shaping municipal policy making, as well as on the framing of rationales for providing access to healthcare and other services.
Exploitation Route The findings are of value to municipal authorities in considering their responses to local residents who have restricted rights of access to essential services, and to the non governmental organisations that contribute to service provision. They are also of value to national governments in considering the proportionality of restrictions on access to welfare services relative to the impact on the capacity of municipalities to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, and to the impact on individuals and local communities.
Sectors Education

Healthcare

Government

Democracy and Justice
 
Description Our partnership with a City Council and third sector stakeholders during the course of the research has fostered a positive dialogue on the issues that we are investigating, bringing together on three occasions a group of public and NGO service providers with a common interest but who would not normally have a means to meet on a regular basis. At the final meeting to discuss the implications of our findings, in 2022, the Council indicated that it would bring the group together again to consider whether and how the many recommendations from the study could be taken forward. We hope to report further on this at a later date.
First Year Of Impact 2021
Sector Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Policy & public services
 
Description European conference, Frankfurt 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The final conference of the project, held in Frankfurt in September 2022, to discuss policy and practice implications with policy makers from European institutions and national, regional and municipal authorities in Europe.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Meeting of council staff and NGO stakeholders with UK, Austrian and German research teams 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact To explore the policy and practice implications of the UK research findings, in a European context
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Second Stakeholder meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Follow up meeting with public and third sector service providers, hosted by our partner Cardiff City Council, on 26 January 2022, to report back on the emerging findings from our fieldwork and get feedback on the findings as well as suggestions for further interviewees for the ongoing research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Stakeholder meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Hosted by our partner, Cardiff City Council, on 23 September 2021, for the purpose of consultation with public and third sector service providers in Cardiff on our proposed research on service provision to precarious migrants in order to understand the range of issues these stakeholders, and precarious migrants they interact with, are addressing; identify gaps in the existing evidence base; and engage their interest and participation in the forthcoming fieldwork. Held online because of COVID.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021