Exiles and Mechanisms of Governance at the Municipal and Metropolitan Levels: A France-Canada Comparison

Project summary

This project seeks to tackle the crucial question of the divergence or convergence of local policy- making from the perspective of mechanisms.

This project proposes a research design specifically dedicated to comparing suburban cities with their metropolis. As well as shifting levels of analysis, this project allows for research that sees beyond national differences or “models,” thereby providing a more accurate understanding of the management of migration in both countries.

Specific objectives are as follows:

1. To improve the “local turn” literature on immigration, filling in some of its methodological gaps, by developing a research design that compares suburban cities with their metropolis;
2. To compare how, with whom and with what results, municipalities manage the resettlement and the reception of exiles;
3. To provide a better explanation for the convergence and divergence of local policy-making, one that pays specific attention to how mechanisms of governance (such as coordination, venue shopping, and policy learning) are linked to a specific local context and how they impact policy outcomes.