Towards a parallel exceptional welfare system: the scaling down and out of forced migrants’ reception in Italy

ABSTRACT

Reception measures have been implemented in many EU countries, as part of an articulated framework of European, national, subnational, local normative arrangements. This paper states the need for more attention on the division of responsibility among government levels and forms of contention associated with it, moving beyond the Scholten’s framework (2013) focused on actors’ coordination. In doing so, it argues that an increased focus on the welfare perspective can illuminate how a parallel, exceptional system of welfare has been created and consolidatedad hoc for forced migrants, with potentially negative impacts on their social protection. The argument builds on empirical evidence collected in Italy in the period 2014-2020. Beyond the specificity of the Italian case, the paper aims to put forward a more general discussion on how the literature on welfare can provide a useful theoretical background to analyse the relationship between forced migrants and the city.

KEYWORDS:

• Exceptional welfare
• reception
• rescaling
• forced migrants

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2017 Annual IMISCOE Conference, in the panel “Refugee Migration and Urban Studies – Theoretical Challenges and New Approaches”. My thank you is due to the panel coordinators Birgit Glorius and René Kreichauf for their multiple feedbacks, to the reviewers of Urban Geography and Rosa Mas Girald for her feedback and encouragement. The research on which this paper is based has been undertaken as part of the research projects indicated in the tables and thanks to the funding acknowledged. The content of this paper is the sole responsibility of the author and can be in no way considered as expressing the opinion of any of the funders or the project leaders/partners.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. See note 4 for data

2. This reflection was inspired by collaboration in the EU COST Action IS1102 Cohesion – Social services, welfare state and places » (Martinelli et al., 2017).

3. The Prefecture is an administrative peripherical body of the Italian Government, under the hierarchical responsibility of the Ministry of Interior and it operates at provicial level.

4. See the “Intesa tra il Governo, le Regioni e gli Enti locali sul piano nazionale per fronteggiare il flusso straordinario di cittadini extracomunitari, adulti, famiglie e minori stranieri non accompagnati (National Agreement between the Italian Govnerment, Regional Authorities and Local Authorities to deal with the exceptional flows of non-European citizens, adults, families and unaccompanied minors) Retrieved from http://www.prefettura.it/FILES/AllegatiPag/1247/Accordo%20Conferenza%20Unificata.pdf Last access: 3 July 2018.

5. SPRAR (2019) Atlante SPRAR 2018. Retrived from https://www.siproimi.it/pubblicazioni/atlante-sprar-siproimi-2018 Last access: 20 January 2021.

6. See note 5.

7. SPRAR (2017) Atlante SPRAR 2016. Retrived from https://www.sprar.it/pubblicazioni/atlante-sprar-2016 Last access: 12 October 2018.

8. As reported by Lunaria (2013), SPRAR and CAS have also been funded through other channels (i.e. the European Refugee Fund, the National Operative Program, a program specifically for Southern Italy). Retrieved from http://www.cronachediordinariorazzismo.org/wp-content/uploads/rights_are_not_expense.pdf

9. SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018a; Interview, mayor, Cona, Venice, 6 April 2018.

10. Ziniti A. “Viminale, tagli dell’accoglienza per i migranti da 35 a 20 euro a giorno.” Retrived from https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2018/11/07/news/viminale_tagli_dell_accoglienza_per_i_migranti_da_35_a_20_euro_a_giorno-211025426/?refresh_ce Last access: 1 March 2019.

11. Author and coauthor, forthcoming; Interview, managing director SPRAR/CAS structures, Brescia, 13 May 2019; Interview, CAS operator, Verona, 20 August 2019.

12. Ibidem note 9.

13. See SPRAR website for updated data. Retrieved from www.sprar.it Last access: 3 March 2019.

14. SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018a.

15. Marzorati et al. (2017); Interview, mayor, Cona, Venice, 6 April 2018; Interview, managing director SPRAR/CAS structures, Breno, Brescia, 27 March 2014.

16. SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018a; Seminar “L’accoglienza dei richiedenti asilo a Verona”, Centro Studi Immigrazione, Verona, 16 December 2018; Interview, mayor, Malegno, Brescia, 7 March 2015.

17. SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018; Interview, chief officer Immigration Office, Municipality of Venice, 20 November 2017; Interview, chief officer Social Services Department, Municipality of Mirano, Venice, 24 March 2018.

18. This interpretation is supported by various constitutional lawyers: see Vita.it, Interview, “Asgi: Tutti i Comuni devono aprire progetti Sprar, è scritto nella Costituzione”, Retrived from http://www.vita.it/it/article/2016/05/05/asgi-tutti-i-comuni-devono-aprire-progetti-sprar-e-scritto-nella-costi/139297/Last access: 30 October 2018.

19. SIIM Unesco Chair 2018a; Semprebon (2017); Interview, managing director SPRAR/CAS structures, Brescia, 13 May 2019; Interview, operator, CAS Verona, 20 August 2019.

20. SPRAR (2014) Atlante SPRAR 2012–2013. Retrieved from https://www.cittalia.it/images/file/atlante_sprar_completo_2012_2013.pdf Last access: 12 October 2018.

21. Semprebon and Pelacani (2020); Interview, coordinator of Reception Network in Lombardy Region, 28 March 2014.

22. Semprebon et al. (forthcoming); Interview, chief officer Reception Office, Municipality of Verona, 25 June 2020; Interview CAS operator, Verona, 20 August 2019, Interview, managing director SPRAR/CAS structures, Brescia, 13 May 2019; CAS operator, Venice, 13 July 2018.

23. This is a specific residual form of protection granted by Italian Law 40/1998 (similarly granted by other EU States), besides the international forms of protection associated with the status of refugee and with subsidiary protections.

24. Della Puppa et al. (2020); Semprebon and Pelacani (2020); Interview, socio-legal operator CIR (Consiglio Italiano Rifugiati), partner of SPRAR project in Verona, 15 March 2018.

25. Interview, social assistant, Municipality of Verona, 27 May 2020.

26. Consoli D. and Zorzella N. “L’iscrizione anagrafica e l’accesso ai servizi territoriali dei richiedenti asilo ai tempi del salvinismo”, 8 January 2019. Retrieved from https://www.asgi.it/asilo-e-protezione-internazionale/liscrizione-anagrafica-e-laccesso-ai-servizi-territoriali-dei-richiedenti-asilo-ai-tempi-del-salvinismo/Last access: access: 3 March 2019.

27. Della Puppa et al. (2020); SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018a; Semprebon et al., forthcoming; Interview, CAS operator, Sanguinetto, Verona, 15 November 2017; Interview, social assistant, Municipality of Verona, 27 May 2020; Interview, officer Social Services Department, Venice, 26 May 2020.

28. SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018; Interview, coordinator of Reception Network in Lombardy Region, 28 March 2014.

29. Interview, coordinator of Reception Network in Lombardy Region 28 March 2014.

30. SSIIM Unesco Chair, 2018a; Interview, mayor, Cona, Venice, 6 April 2018; Seminar “L’accoglienza dei richiedenti asilo a Verona”, Centro Studi Immigrazione, Verona, 16 December 2018; Interview, mayor Artogne, Brescia, 26 March 2014.