Transferring Asylum Norms to EU Neighbours: Multi-Scalar Policies and Practices in Ukraine

Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Introduction
	Asylum Norms and Policies
		Fundamental Asylum Norms
		The European Production of Asylum Norms and Policies
		How Asylum Came to Ukraine Without Asylum Seekers
	The Political Context in Ukraine and the European Neighbourhood Policy
	Transfer of Norms and Policies
		Transfer as Multi-Actor Translation and Resistance
		Transfer as (Power) Relations and Practices
		Multi-Scalar Transfer Practices
	Multiple Perspectives and Sources to Grasp the Complexity of Transfer
		Written Sources for Macro and Meso Perspectives
		Multi-Sited Fieldwork for Micro and Meso Perspectives
	Structure of the Book
	References
Part I The Legislative Adoption of Asylum Norms in Ukraine: A Process Driven by International Actors
2 An Unfavourable Domestic Context for Asylum Policies
	Unwelcoming Treatment of “Non-Traditional” Immigrants: From Soviet Immigration Control to Restrictive Contemporary Ukrainian Immigration Policies
		The Soviet Legacy of Xenophobia in Post-Soviet Ukraine
		Building up a Ukrainian State and Establishing Selective Immigration Policies
	The Low Domestic Prioritisation of Asylum: From Weak Soviet Heritage to Competing Political Priorities in Contemporary Ukraine
		Sparse International Asylum Norms Under Soviet Rule
		No Public Interest in Asylum
	Conclusion
	References
3 Norm Transfer into Law: Delaying, Selecting, Translating
	Resistance to Norms that Limit the State’s Control Over Its Territory
		Prohibition of Refoulement: Shallow and Selective Adoption of a Strong International Norm
		The Right to Breach Immigration Laws to Seek Asylum: No Adoption of a Weak International Norm
	Narrow, Shallow, and Slow Adoption of Norms Entailing Budgetary Costs
		The Right to Social Benefits: Narrow, Shallow, and Slow Adoption
		The Right to Work: Early Adoption
	Imitation and Translation of Foreign Norms that Fit Domestic Political Interests
		The Broad Safe Third Country Provision: Early Imitation
		Filing Deadlines: Imitation of Restrictive Instruments from Abroad
		The Prohibition of “Impersonation”: Import and Restrictive Interpretation of a European Instrument
	Late but Full Adoption of EU Protection Statuses
	Conclusion
	References
4 Why Adopt International Norms? Legislators Between Contestation and Submission to International Organisations
	Norm Promotion by International Organisations in a Context of Lack of Domestic Political Interest in Asylum (1993–2010)
		Introducing International Asylum Norms for Their Symbolic Value
			Elaborating a First Law on Refugees as a Response to a Public Policy Problem?
			The Lack of Legitimacy of the Asylum Norms’ Content in the Verkhovna Rada
			The Symbolic Value of International Asylum Norms in the Parliamentary Debates
		International Organisations’ Transfer Attempts Between Persuasion, Exchange of Favours, and Monitoring Without Incentives
			The Council of Europe Pre-Accession Conditionality and Interactions: Legitimacy Despite Limited Official Focus on Asylum
		The Importance of UNHCR Lobbying and Exchange of Favours on the Ground
		The Weak Legitimacy of EU Monitoring and Criticism
	Deep Adoption of International Asylum Norms: EU Sector-Specific Conditionality (2010–2016)
		The Power of EU Sector-Specific Conditionality from 2010 Onwards
			The Introduction of an Attractive Incentive into EU-Ukraine Relations
			The Increase of the Power of the EU Sector-Specific Conditionality After the Maidan Protests
		Power in Practice: Interactions Between EU and Ukrainian Officials
			Monitoring to Counter Suspected Resistance
			Transmitting the Pressure to Fulfil EU Demands
		The Interrelatedness of UNHCR and EU Power
			The EU’s Reliance on UNHCR Knowledge Production
			UNHCR’s Limited Power on Its Own
			UNHCR’s Increase in Power through the Alliance with Other International Organisations
	Conclusion
	Conclusion to the First Part
	References
Part II Transforming State Practices: Norm Promoters’ Multi-Scalar Adaptation to Obstacles
5 Policy Implementation in Practice: Political Power Struggles, Lack of Money, and Street-Level Bureaucrats
	Introduction
	No Implementation Without State Institutions: Political Power Struggles and Low Political Prioritisation
	Migration Officers Between Inaction and Improvisation
		Coping with Legal Obstacles and Lack of Information
		Coping with the Lack of Resources
	Attempts to Control Policy Implementation
		EU Conditionality as a Motor for Policy Implementation
		Central State Bodies’ Attempts to Control and Standardise Regional State Practices
	Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Discretionary Use of the Law: Social Norms, Personal Interests, Moral Judgments, and Emotions
	Conclusion
	References
6 A Multi-Scalar Transfer Chain: Capital, Control, and Contacts of Norm Promoters
	Introduction
	Creating and Controlling Domestic NGO Norm Promoters
	Seminars as a Vehicle to Spread International Asylum Norms’ Legitimacy
	Regular, Personalised Interactions and Their Influence on State Practices
	A Heterogeneous, Unstable Transfer Approach
	Turning Officials into Horizontal or Top-Down Norm Brokers
	From Informal to Formal Influence
		An Unsurprising Absence of Bottom-Up Influences
		Achieving Formalised Change Through Personal Contacts
	Conclusion
	References
7 Contentious Approaches to Counter Resistance to Transfer: Multi-Scalar Complaints
	Introduction
	Complaining to State Brokers at Strategic Positions
	Denouncing State Practices Across Scales
	Litigation
	Causing International Pressure
	Conclusion
	Conclusion to the Second Part
	References
8 Conclusion
	Asylum Norms in Ukraine: Which Case of Transfer?
		Norm Transfer Despite Disinterest and Resistance Among State Actors
	The Absence of “Empowerment” of Domestic NGOs
		Smooth Circulation of Norms That Fit Domestic Interests and Beliefs
	Studying the Role and Leeway of All Actors Involved in Transfer
	Multi-Scalar Analysis of Transfer Processes
	Instability, Contingency, and Heterogeneity of Transfer
	Asylum Regimes in Western Europe and Ukraine
	References
Glossary
Index