Alliances in the resolution of politicized immigration conflicts in the city : the construction of an interpretive framework

Abstract

The political opportunity structure (POS) debate has mainly focused on how institutional and cultural factors shape the mobilization of immigrants in receiving societies. Nevertheless, they have not focused on alliances between specific actors as a political opportunity. This paper aims to construct an interpretive framework, within the POS, to study how the resolution of politicized immigration conflicts (PICs) at the local level facilitates alliances between political parties and immigrant associations. The guiding question is: How do alliances between political parties and immigrant associations emerge in the resolution of PICs at the local level? I argue that these alliances emerge because of the specific local political environment surrounding the resolution of PICs. This framework seeks to expand the POS debate by challenging the existing literature that considers alliances an explanatory factor of mobilization; highlighting the importance of specific alliances in the local management of immigration and offering a typology of alliances.