Factoring in societal culture in policy transfer design: The proliferation of private sponsorship of refugees
Bertram,Daniel Maleki,Ammar Karsten,Niels
Bertram,Daniel
Maleki,Ammar
Karsten,Niels
Abstract
The Canadian model of private sponsorship schemes (PSS) for refugees is becoming an increasingly popular target for policy transfer in the field of migration. This article argues that the influence of societal culture on this transplanting process has played an underexplored role in the literature. We seek to provide original guidance for factoring in cultural elements into the policy transfer framework by demonstrating how specific design choices in PSS transfer display clear cultural associations. A tentative study of nine countries that have adopted different models of PSS corroborates this hypothesis empirically. Our preliminary findings suggest that cultural compatibility may indeed increase the effectiveness of a policy transfer in some instances, while culturally preferred choices being adopted in other cases may result in suboptimal design. This converse interplay indicates that cultural awareness constitutes a crucial element of successful transfer processes and stresses the need to adopt a culturally sensitive perspective more frequently and more explicitly.
Description
Date
2020-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Journal Issue
Keywords
Comparative policy design, Cultural compatibility, DIFFUSION, DIMENSIONS, FAILURE, GLOBE, INSTITUTIONAL BRICOLAGE, NATIONAL CULTURE, Policy transfer, Private sponsorship, Resettlement
Citation
Bertram, D, Maleki, A & Karsten, N 2020, 'Factoring in societal culture in policy transfer design : The proliferation of private sponsorship of refugees', Journal of International Migration and Integration, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 253-271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-019-00738-0
License
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess