Delegating Responsibility

Delegating Responsibility explores the politics of migration in the European Union and explains how and why the EU responded to the 2015–17 refugee crisis. Based on 86 interviews and fieldwork in Greece and Italy, Nicholas R. Micinski puts forward a new theory of international cooperation on international migration. States approach migration policies in many ways—such as coordination, collaboration, subcontracting, and unilateralism—but which way they choose is based on the migration state capacity and credible partners on the ground. Micinski traces the evolution of EU migration management, like border security and asylum policies, over the last fifty years and shows how EU officials used “crises” as political leverage to further Europeanize migration governance. In two in-depth cases studies, he explores these themes to explain how Italy and Greece responded to the most recent refugee crisis. He concludes with a discussion of policy recommendations regarding the current situation and long-term aspirations for migration management in the EU.This book is an excellent introduction to the politics of the EU, migration and refugee policy, and humanitarianism and presents original data and findings from the 2015–17 refugee crisis.

"Delegating Responsibility offers an excellent account of the dynamics of migration management in Europe, showing how front-line states like Italy and Greece struggle to cope with increasing numbers of forced migrants while engaging in a delicate dance of conflict and cooperation with the EU and member states. With all of its flaws, the EU will set the pace for migration governance in Europe and beyond and Micinski provides us with key insights into this extraordinarily complex political process." --James Hollifield, Southern Methodist University-- "James Hollifield", "Delegating Responsibility shows the surprising ways that Greece, Italy, and the EU try to manage asylum seekers and other migrants. By focusing on how policies are put into action, Micinski reveals when and why states work alone, together, or hand over their obligations to international organizations." --David Scott FitzGerald, author of Refuge beyond Reach: How Rich Democracies Repel Asylum Seekers-- "David Scott FitzGerald", "A deeply researched and hugely informative book about the dynamics of migration management in Greece and Italy that provides fresh insight into the complex dynamics of state responses and international cooperation." --Andrew Geddes, Director of the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute-- "Andrew Geddes", "Demonstrates quite convincingly that past policy choices and institutions established to deal with migration pressures continue to shape policy today, enabling or constraining the scope for action." --Willem Maas, York University-- "Willem Maas", "This is a strong, empirically detailed, and theoretically ambitious study. Micinski makes an important contribution to the literature on international politics of migration." --Gerasimos Tsourapas, University of Glasgow-- "Gerasimos Tsourapas"

Nicholas R. Micinski is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine.