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ABSTRACT

In this interview with UCL’s Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou, Lefteris Papagiannakis explains his role as Athens’ vice mayor for migrants and refugees. He discusses the city’s responses to the arrival of thousands of refugees and migrants in the last few years. He reflects on the complex relationship of the municipality of Athens with non-government support networks, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, as well as autonomous local activists, in providing support services to migrants. Papagiannakis also addresses how Athens negotiates its support for these groups in the current European anti-immigrant climate, and the relationship between the Greek economic crisis and the so-called “refugee crisis.”

ABSTRACT

Five poems written by Mohamed Assaf (a young Syrian boy who currently lives in Oxford with his family and studies at Oxford Spires Academy) under the mentorship of the poet Kate Clanchy. The introduction and poems themselves offer a reflection on Mohamed’s old and new place(s) in the world, and the signifi cance of writing as a way of responding to, and resisting, “refugeedom.”

*Full article in Spanish

English abstract: NAAEC acts as an independent platform for the international cooperation between the United States, Mexico and Canada over a wide range of environmental protocols. The CEC was formed as a practical and valuable tool to achieve NAAEC goals. Therefore, the CEC supervises the development of environmental policies and their accurate implementation among the three nations. In addition, the CEC promotes the participation of private citizens in collaboration with their governments to develop diverse strategies for conservation, protection, and improvement of our shared environment. Whether or not it is necessary to maintain regular operations of NAEEC is a subject currently evaluated during the present renegotiations of NAFTA, which provides new opportunities in view of the contemporary political, economic and environmental scene.

Spanish abstract: El ACAAN actúa como una plataforma independiente de cooperación internacional entre Estados Unidos, México y Canadá para el desarrollo de protocolos de protección del medio ambiente. La CCA se concibe como una práctica herramienta para la instrumentación de las metas trazadas por el ACAAN. En consecuencia, la CCA se encarga de gestionar, supervisar e implementar diversas estrategias de conservación, protección, y mejoramiento del medio ambiente por medio de la colaboración entre la sociedad civil y el sector gubernamental. En la actualidad, el debate en torno a si la reciente revisión y ratificación del TLCAN requerirá mantener el existente funcionamiento del ACAAN permite el planteamiento de nuevas áreas de oportunidad en vista del actual contexto político, económico y ambiental global.

French abstract: L’ANACDE sert de plate-forme indépendante pour la coopération internationale entre les États-Unis, le Mexique et le Canada sur un large éventail de protocoles environnementaux. La CCE a été créée comme outil pratique et utile pour atteindre les objectifs de l’ANACDE. Par conséquent, la CCE supervise l’élaboration des politiques environnementales et leur mise en oeuvre précise parmi les trois pays. En outre, la CCE encourage la participation des citoyens à l’élaboration de stratégies diverses en faveur de la conservation, la protection et l’amélioration de notre environnement commun. La question de savoir s’il est nécessaire ou non de maintenir les opérations régulières de l’ANACDE est actuellement débattue lors des renégociations de l’ALENA, qui ouvre de nouvelles perspectives sur les scènes politique, économique et environnementale contemporaines.

*Full article is in Spanish

English abstract: At the RISC 2017 International Congress, we reflected on the possibility of achieving a “sustainable, integral and coherent development.” We primarily report here on the panel of Mexican experts who shared their experiences on issues such as the impact of the international agenda on the local policy priorities, the relevance of the participation of local stakeholders and the occurrence of inconsistencies throughout the process of design and implementation of development policies. In addition, other experiences were presented on these issues, some of which are included in this special issue. The general conclusion was that not only is it possible to articulate a sustainable, integral and coherent development but also that approaches and tools are already emerging that favor it through an evidence-based policy management and the use of the growing “environmental big data” that already exists.

Spanish abstract: En el Congreso internacional RISC 2017 se reflexionó sobre la posibilidad de lograr un “desarrollo sostenible, integral y coherente”. En este artículo nos referimos principalmente al panel de expertos mexicanos que compartieron sus experiencias con nosotros sobre asuntos como el impacto de la agenda internacional sobre la local, la relevancia de la participación de los actores locales y la ocurrencia de incoherencias a lo largo del proceso de diseño y aplicación de las políticas para el desarrollo. Además, se expusieron otras experiencias sobre estos asuntos, que han sido recogidas en este número especial. La conclusión general es que se estima que no sólo es posible articular un desarrollo sostenible, integral y coherente, sino que están emergiendo enfoques y herramientas que favorecen propiciarlo a través de la gestión basada en evidencia y el aprovechamiento del creciente “big data ambiental” que ya está existe.

French abstract: Lors du congrès international Consortium pour la Recherche comparative sur l’intégration régionale et la cohésion sociale (RISC) 2017, organisé en coopération avec le programme d’innovation pour l’intégrité dans la gestion de l’environnement pour le développement et soutenu par des données massives (big data) et un apprentissage automatisé (i-Gamma), nous avons réfléchi à la possibilité de parvenir à un “développement durable, intégral et cohérent”. L’événement a ouvert de multiples opportunités de discussions sur le sujet, mais cette introduction est basée sur le panel d’experts mexicains qui ont partagé leurs expériences avec nous sur des questions telles que l’impact de l’agenda international à l’échelle locale, la pertinence de la participation des acteurs locaux et le surgissement d’incohérences tout au long du processus de conception et de mise en oeuvre des politiques de développement. Nous ferons également référence à d’autres expériences présentées autour de ces questions, en mettant l’accent sur les contributions de ce numéro spécial. En conclusion générale, nous pensons qu’il n’est pas seulement possible d’articuler un développement de manière durable, intégrale et cohérente, mais que des approches et des outils sont déjà en train d’émerger et favorisent une gestion fondée sur des données probantes et l’utilisation des « données environnementales à grande échelle » déjà existantes.

ABSTRACT

Refused asylum seekers living in the UK face hostility and legal restrictions on the basis of immigration status that limit access to statutory support, employment, and social goods. Working at a non-profit organization that offered an advice service for refused asylum seekers, I observed how the experiences of refused asylum seekers are constituted not simply by restrictions within immigration law, but rather by the ways in which laws are perceived and implemented by a wide range of actors. I argue that the legal consciousness of social workers hostile to refused asylum seekers plays an important role in making policy through practice. I show that social workers prioritized immigration enforcement over other legal obligations, thereby amplifying the meaning of immigration status and deepening the marginalization of refused asylum seekers.

ABSTRACT

This article discusses the legal and institutional framework of refugee hospitality in Portugal. This sets the context for an analysis of how hospitality encounters take place in northern towns between asylum seekers, refugees, voluntary hosting institutions, public services, and volunteers. The aim is to enquire into the conflicting expectations, morals, and values of these different people and institutions, and into how they are managed and negotiated in practice. Through focusing on the “moral subjectivities” of individuals, the data elucidates the tensions that arise between charity-based and rights-based approaches, how misunderstandings arise and are avoided through engaging in “contextual protection,” and how linear transitions from hospitality to hostility cannot be presumed.