Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31297/hkju.18.2.2
The Role of Deconcentrated State Administration in Migration and Integration Affairs: A Way Forward
Ivan Lopižić
orcid.org/0000-0002-1157-0602
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb
Goranka Lalić Novak
orcid.org/0000-0001-5984-9779
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb
Abstract
In terms of academic research, the vast majority of papers on migration have focused on state-level and more recently on European-level policies, while migration and integration policies have rarely been examined from the perspective of state administration in the territory. This paper attempts to take a step towards filling this gap by analysing the contemporary development, roles, and organisation of deconcentrated state administration, and investigating the role of deconcentrated state administration in migration and integration policies in selected European countries. Over time, the role of deconcentrated state administration has changed from implementing state legislation and direct service provision to safeguarding the cohesion of territorial public policies, strategic planning, and coordination of different territorial actors in the performance of public affairs. Deconcentrated state administration should ensure that state policies are implemented
uniformly and efficiently throughout the state territory. This role is very
important in the field of migration and integration, as these policies are usually developed at the level of the central government but implemented at different levels of public administration, including local self-government. Our research has shown that deconcentrated state administration is becoming increasingly important in migration and integration affairs. In the six analysed countries deconcentrated state administration has acquired a substantial role in migration policies. It is either more implementing or coordinative–strategic in nature, independently of its different institutional characteristics. Based on the arguments presented in the paper, it is argued that there are administrative–technical and interest–political reasons for the broader inclusion of deconcentrated state administration in migration and integration policies.
Keywords
migration; integration; deconcentrated state administration; territorial organs
Hrčak ID:
201721
URI
Publication date:
19.6.2018.
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