Although the MLG perspective is mostly applied either to EU-national relations or to multi-level states, my argument is that multi-level governance is equally a concern in unitary states such as the Netherlands, France and the UK. This involves a growing involvement of local governments and the impact of a slowly evolving EU policy framework. Yet, rather than finding effective multi-level governance mechanisms and structures in place, in some cases more traditional top-down structures persist; in others there is a more straightforward ‘decoupling’ of policymaking at various levels, sometimes even leading to plain policy conflicts between levels.
My paper attempts to develop an explanatory framework for why and under which conditions local integration policies takes particular shapes. My research found that ‘superdiverse cities’, or cities where about half of the population are of migrant background, are likely to adopt city branding strategies that make migration and pluralism a part of the city’s identity. This city branding offers a shared sense of belonging that can help intercultural relations within the city, but can also play a role in transnational relations with migrants countries of origin.
