Information on IPSA 2017 Conference "Looking Beyond the Crisis: Impact of Mass Migrations on the Local, Regional, National and EU Governance", 11-14 May 2017, Dubrovnik, Croatia

1. International Conference
LOOKING BEYOND THE CRISES: IMPACT OF MASS
MIGRATIONS ON THE LOCAL, REGIONAL,
NATIONAL AND EU GOVERNANCE
11-14 May 2017
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Organized by
Institute for Public Administration, Croatia
In collaboration and with the support from
Research Committee 05 Comparative Studies on Local Government and
Politics (IPSA)
Research Committee 32 Public Policy & Administration (IPSA)
Faculty of Law, Study Centre for Public Administration and Public Finances,
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia

2. ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
General aim and topic of the Conference
Over the past few decades many countries around the World have been faced
with major movements of refugees and migrants from countries where they
have experienced war, persecution, or economic or environmental pressure.
Although displacement is not a new phenomenon, 2015 witnessed the largest
mass migration of people to and within Europe since World War II, mainly
caused by the war in Syria which created more than 10 million internally
displaced people and refugees. The EU is struggling to find the appropriate
and common response to refugee influx, trying to accommodate refugees,
sustain national security, and reassure the host populations.
The main challenge for the future will be the integration of refugees and
migrants who remain in Europe after the crisis. To varying degrees, European
societies have been struggling with increasing diversity for years and many
countries failed to integrate the previous migrants effectively. The approach to
the integration process has varied from country to country, depending on the
history of migration movements in the given country, the number and
characteristics of migrants and their arrivals, the overall policy toward
migration, the economic situation in the country, and the programmes in place
to assist migrants. While integration policies remain a competence of the
Member States, the EU has created a common framework for the integration
of migrants as well as different initiatives to promote integration. The EU has
recognized that integration is a necessary part of the comprehensive
migration and refugee policies, and that it is strongly relate to economic
growth and social cohesion.
The integration of migrants is a policy area where a local approach is
particularly important. Cities have long been an especially attractive
destination for migrants; therefore the setting of integration policies has
imposed itself as a necessity. However, the integration policies, as a
multifaceted issue which cuts across different policy areas, are usually
decided at the national or regional levels with varying success in practice.
Local authorities are often left to their own devices in setting integration
policies, adjusting or mitigating the lack of success of policies at the national
level. In addition, the responsibility for migrant integration is very often divided
among different government departments and reliant on bringing together
services which have been contracted out and delegated to different actors,
such as private service providers and non-profit organisations.
In the light of longstanding debates about the challenges of integration in the
host societies, the conference is aimed at discussing different experiences of
the local units with regard to integration of refugees and migrants.

3. The participants are invited to particularly discuss the following issues:
• The nexus between EU framework for the integration of migrants and
refugees and recent developments at the level of Member States.
• Best practices and different approaches to tackle implementation of
national integration policies for refugees and migrants at the local level.
• Challenges in the development and implementation of local integration
policies in the context of historical patterns, lessons offered by past
experience, as well as contemporary migration trends.
• Impact of migration on local and regional public services, such as
health, education, social care, and their performance, especially in the
light of economic and fiscal crises.
• The problem of coordination of different actors involved in the
implementation of integration policies when delivered through a
complex set of organisations operating at various levels.
• Administrative capacities of local, regional and national administrations
which should be strengthened in order to develop and implement local
integration policies.
• Implications and challenges that migration trends bring to the
management of cultural diversity in local communities.
• The role of migration in shaping the future of cities, in order to respond
to the needs, challenges, and opportunities posed by migrants as new
residents.
Date and Conference format
The conference will last from Thursday, May 11 to Sunday, May 14, 2017 and
will be held in the CAAS premises in Dubrovnik. It will be organized in the
form of plenary sessions and several topical panel sessions.
Tentative schedule of the Conference is the following:
• Thursday, 11 May 2017 – afternoon session – PhD panels
• Friday, 12 May 2017 – opening of the Conference, morning and
afternoon sessions
• Saturday, 13 May 2017 – morning and afternoon sessions
• Sunday, 14 May 2017 – morning session and closing of the
Conference.
Selection procedure, submission of papers and important deadlines
All interested may notify their interest in participation by 15 November 2016,
attaching the proposed titles and abstracts (300-500 words). The selection of
papers is based on the academic interests and current research of the invited
candidates as well as their involvement in the corresponding research
networks. The invited participants will be informed about selection procedure
results by 30 November 2016. The invited participants should send their draft
papers by 31 March 2017. The papers should not exceed 10.000 words limit.

4. A summary of important deadlines:
• 15 November 2016 – Submission of abstracts to the Organizing
Committee
• 30 November 2016 – Notification of abstract acceptance
• 1 March 2017 – Circulation of Draft Conference Programme
• 31 March 2017 – Submission of draft papers
• 7-10 May 2017 – Conference in Dubrovnik
Publication opportunities
Selection of presented papers will be invited for submission by the
international scientific journal Croatian and Comparative Public Administration.
There is an opportunity of preparing an edited volume which publisher is the
Institute of Public Administration, Zagreb, Croatia.
Venue and accommodation
The Conference will be organized at the Centre for Advanced Academic
Studies (CAAS) in Dubrovnik, Croatia (address: Don Frana Bulića 4, 20000
Dubrovnik, Croatia). CAAS is located in the very heart of Dubrovnik, less then
five-minute walk from the Old City. Accommodation for keynote speakers and
limited number of participants is reserved at CAAS residence for the period
11–14 of May 2017. Organizers will cover accommodation costs only for the
invited keynote speakers.
Web site of CAAS: http://www.caas.unizg.hr/accomodation.html
All participants are kindly asked to take necessary steps for their travel
arrangements soon after their participation is confirmed by the Organizing
Committee.
The Dubrovnik Airport has good connections (direct or indirect) with all main
European airports.

5. CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS
Organizing Committee:
• Professor Ivan Koprić, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb & Institute of
Public Administration, Croatia, ikopric@pravo.hr
• Professor Norbert Kersting (IPSA RC 5, chair), Westfalische Wilhems
Universitat Muenster, Germany, Norbert.kersting@uni-muenster.de
• Professor Philippe Zittoun (RC 32 Chair), University of Lyon, France,
pzittoun@gmail.com
• Professor Zdravko Petak, Faculty of Political Science, University of
Zagreb, Croatia, zdravko.petak@fpzg.hr
• Assistant Professor Goranka Lalić Novak, Faculty of Law, University of
Zagreb & Institute of Public Administration, Croatia,
goranka.lalic@pravo.hr
• Assistant Professor Dario Čepo, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb &
Institute of Public Administration, Croatia, dario.cepo@pravo.hr
• Tijana Vukojičić Tomić, lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb &
Institute of Public Administration, Croatia, tijana.vukojicic@pravo.hr
For any additional information please contact:
• Assistant Professor Goranka Lalić Novak, Faculty of Law, University of
Zagreb & Institute of Public Administration, Croatia,
goranka.lalic@pravo.hr
• Tijana Vukojičić Tomić, lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb &
Institute of Public Administration, Croatia, tijana.vukojicic@pravo.hr