Religion and nationalism revisited: Insights from southeastern and central eastern Europe.

This paper explores the dynamics behind the rise of religious nationalism in Central Eastern and Southeastern Europe with distinct populist, nativist, and authoritarian overtones. The paper explores the relationship between nationalism and religion today and the broader transformation challenges both within the region and more globally that can shape this relationship. It then looks closer into the historical experiences in the region with regard to the relationship between state and church as well as nationalism and religion, critically analysing how these relations have evolved during nation-state formation in the 19th and early 20th century, under Communism, and in the last three decades. Analysing critically the relevant literature, the paper discusses the entanglements between state and religious institutions as well as between national identity and faith, and how these are mobilised today. The paper argues for the need to consider both internal and external factors in the evolution of the relationship between nationalism and religion in Central Eastern and Southeastern Europe and more broadly.

A crisis mode in migration governance: comparative and analytical insights.

This paper takes stock of the emerging literature on the governance and framing of both migration and asylum as 'crises'. This study carries forward this line of thinking by showing how the crisis governance of migration is not just a representation or a discourse but emerges as a mode of governance with specific features. The study focuses on the refugee emergency of 2015-2016, covering however a longer time frame (2011-2018) and a wide set of 11 countries (those neighbouring Syria: Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey; countries that were mainly transit points: Greece, Italy, Poland and Hungary; and countries that were mainly destination points (Austria, Germany, Sweden and the UK). Through the meta-analysis of a broad set of materials arising out of the RESPOND research project, we identified three interacting governance features in times of crisis. These include (1) a multilevel but complex actor landscape (2) complicated and fragmented legal systems and policy provisions that may vary both at the temporal and territorial level; (3) a renationalisation narrative that seeks to bring this multifaceted and fragmented governance landscape together under the promise that the national state can re-establish control and solve the 'crisis.'

Embracing uncertainty: rethinking migration policy through pastoralists' experiences.

Today there is a disjuncture between migration flows that are complex, mixed and constantly evolving and the emerging global migration governance paradigm that seeks to impose clarity, certainty, regularity and order. Addressing the gap between policies and realities, this article explores lessons for migration policy and governance from mobile pastoralists' experience. Using examples from human migration flows within and between Europe and Africa and insights from pastoral systems from India, Italy and Kenya, the article identifies important similarities between international migration and pastoral mobility. We focus on four interconnections: both international migration and pastoral mobility show multi-directional and fragmented patterns; both involve multiple, intersecting socio-economic, political, cultural and environmental drivers; both must respond to non-linear systems, where critical junctures and tipping points undermine clear prediction and forecasts, making social navigation and reliability management more useful concepts than risk-based prediction and control and finally for both uncertainty is not conceived of as a state of crisis but an inherent feature, pregnant with possibility and hope. Building on these four points, and drawing from pastoralists' experiences, we propose some methodological, practical and policy reflections for bridging the disjuncture between migration realities on the ground and global migration governance policies and discourses.

Navigating Uncertainties: Evaluating the Shift in Canadian Immigration Policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Canada has a proactive immigration policy that invites individuals, mostly highly skilled ones, from around the world to make it their new home. The pandemic border closures severely affected the flow of immigrants from other countries, so the Canadian government turned to the temporary migrants who were already in the country and facilitated their transition to permanent status. Reviewing the relevant policy documents and analysing 22 semi-structured qualitative interviews with stakeholders in Ontario, we critically examine the impact of two transition measures: the amendments to Express Entry and the Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway Program. We also discuss the changes in the work permit program for international graduates. Moreover, we analyse Canadian migration management during the pandemic at three levels: the macro level (i.e., transition measures and attainment of national goals), the meso level (i.e., stakeholders' evaluations of the transition measures), and the micro level (i.e., stakeholders' perceptions of migrants' experiences with the transition measures).

Le Canada s'est doté d'une politique d'immigration proactive, par laquelle le pays invite les personnes de partout dans le monde, surtout les plus spécialisées, à venir s'y enraciner. Mais le flux migratoire ayant été sévèrement touché par la fermeture des frontières due à la pandémie, le gouvernement canadien a choisi de se tourner vers les migrants et migrantes temporaires qui étaient déjà au pays et de faciliter leur transition vers la résidence permanente. En nous basant sur l'analyse d'énoncés de politiques pertinents et sur 22 entrevues qualitatives semi-structurées d'intervenants et d'intervenantes de l'Ontario, nous examinons l'impact de deux mesures transitoires : les modifications apportées au système Entrée Express et à la politique Voie d'accès de la résidence temporaire à la résidence permanent. Nous considérons également les modifications apportées au programme de permis de travail pour étudiants étrangers et étudiantes étrangères. Enfin, nous analysons la gestion de la migration au Canada pendant la pandémie à trois niveaux : macro (mesures de transition et atteinte des objectifs nationaux), méso (évaluations des mesures transitoires par les intervenants et les intervenantes) et micro (perceptions des intervenants et des intervenantes à l'égard de l'expérience vécue par les personnes migrantes dans le contexte des mesures transitoires).