Migration and Local Authorities

This course explores the role of local actors in receiving migrants, including dilemmas of integration and municipal service delivery to host communities and migrants.

Worldwide, an estimated 84 million people have been forced to leave their homes. Among them, nearly 26.6 million refugees. Local governments often find themselves at the forefront of the global response to human displacement. They need to take measures even before national governments develop and adopt policies.

This course discusses how local authorities can develop innovative solutions to the complex challenges of displaced populations. We will discuss how they can provide housing and health care for migrants and refugees while maintaining the level of services for the host community. We will also discuss how local authorities can promote employment opportunities for migrants and refugees. And how they can include the needs of migrants and refugees in local development planning. Furthermore, attention is paid to social cohesion between migrants and host communities, especially in communities with a large presence of migrants.