Policy Integration and Coordination in Governance of Swedish Migration Policy

Abstract

That policies are fragmented and government is siloed have become an omnipresent saying of modern welfare states. Much of scholarly attention has also been directed to how to address this from a central government perspective, most notably through concepts of joined-up government that combined with the vertical aspects of modern governance can impose a richer multi-level perspective. Embedded in such ambitions are establishing efficient policy integration and coordination that would counteract silos and fragmentation. Particularly wicked policy problems, those being without a given solution and being complex and unpredictable, create problems for efficient decision-making and implementation. To embark upon such problems, we examine policy integration and coordination within the complex area of Swedish migration policies. Drawing from extensive qualitative material we notice that elements of that character does not move in a concerted manner across the examined field. In terms of policy integration, we only see weak examples of joint objectives and platforms for decision-making, despite the fact that the government has taken a stronger grip on the regulation of migration policy and aim to increase integration. More traces of policy coordination can, though, be revealed. Although such actions undoubtedly lowers fragmentation through ways of distribution information, to which extent all involved actors share the same goal formulation is more unclear. Importantly, crucial variations are found across administrative tiers, with positive examples spurring sub-nationally. Aims to counteract siloism and fragmentation in Swedish migration policy is mainly reached at subnational levels through elements of policy coordination from a bottom-up approach, though encouraged by the government through incentives and funding.