Hannes Schammann on Migration Policies in Germany - Local Perspectives скачать в хорошем качестве

Hannes Schammann on Migration Policies in Germany - Local Perspectives

In this interview, Dr. Hannes Schammann (university of Hildesheim) discusses the challenges and opportunities of migration governance at the local level, particularly in Germany. He explains that local municipalities play a key role in translating ambiguous national migration policies into practical solutions. While municipalities vary widely in their responses, they often operate with a pragmatic, results-oriented approach rather than ideological or party-political agendas. Dr. Schammann emphasizes that local actors, particularly mayors and key figures in municipal administrations, can play transformative roles in managing migration, even in less-resourced or rural areas. He also addresses the shift in public discourse surrounding migration, noting that while initial debates focused on managing the influx of refugees, the narrative has since shifted to concerns about affordability and cultural integration. Despite this, Dr. Schammann highlights cases where municipalities have taken innovative actions to address refugee integration, like a mayor in a rural area who developed a strategic integration plan despite having limited resources. Dr. Schammann points out that the often-discussed notion of municipalities being “overwhelmed” by refugee numbers does not always reflect the reality on the ground. His research, which includes surveys of German municipalities, found that most municipalities felt they could manage refugee reception, despite the challenges. He also touches on the evolving discourse on the economic potential of refugees, noting that while some rural municipalities initially saw refugees as a way to mitigate labor shortages, this narrative has faded in recent years. The interview concludes with Dr. Schammann sharing his work on the “Matching Project,” an initiative that uses an algorithm to match refugees with municipalities based on both the refugees’ needs and the municipalities’ capacities, aiming to create a more efficient and inclusive process for refugee placement. Dr. Schammann reflects on the value of transdisciplinary collaboration between academics, policymakers, and practitioners, stressing that innovation in migration policy comes from a deep, ongoing exchange of knowledge between these different spheres. EUCAnet (Europe Canada Network) is a hub for experts primarily located in Canada that work on European and Canadian current issues from a transatlantic perspective. These experts offer commentary and expertise and are available for media interviews and public talks. We are a public outreach platform – that makes scholarly knowledge available and meaningful to the public in times when the need for evidence based knowledge and public debate is crucial. Our goal is to foster the Canada Europe Transatlantic Dialogue with the aim of supporting the process of informing public policy making. Focus on : European Studies, Transatlantic Studies, Global Studies, Issues of Democracy, Populism, Memory Politics, Migration. Official Site: http://www.eucanet.org