Beyond National Models?

This comparison of Canada and Germany focuses on a particular dimension of these countries’ respective approaches to governing migration and integration. It is guided by a key conceptual assumption: Cities and regions have become important laboratories for deliberating, developing, and implementing immigration and, in particular, integration policies. With this analytical lens, the article investigates the form and degree to which subnational levels of government have come to play a more prominent role in this policy field. Both Canada and Germany show a comparable diffusion of governance authority across different levels of government. Yet the factors driving this development vary considerably across national contexts. While Canada’s multicultural policy has set a comprehensive national framework for addressing the task of migrant integration, in Germany the momentum in this policy field has moved decisively to regions and cities.