When states criminalise help, is it a sign of active citizenship to disobey?
openDemocracy and its partners brought activists, academics, and policy makers together in Barcelona late last July to discuss a way forward for refugee-related activism and city welcome policies.
Refugees in Europe assert their political agency in many ways, but must do so informally. A new movement seeks to give refugees a seat at the policy table.
The EU is moving deeper into its project of externalising border management, further endangering its claim to be a defender of human rights.
The Nuit Debout movement has effectively challenged state power in many cities, forcing people to think about how their struggles articulate with those of others.
Borders are constructed to separate people, but they become a permanent point of contact and violence between the two sides.
Previous migration crises taking place outside Europe were unable to hold global attention. Now that Europe can't look away, we must seize the opportunity to press for global immigration reform.
Local governments are developing creative ways of welcoming refugees into their cities, often despite national policies rather than because of them. National and regional governments could learn from those experiences.
