Labour and social inclusion paths for refugees. A comparison between Bologna and Vienna

Over the last few years Europe has faced the phenomenon of ‘forced migrations’, which has led to the establishment of reception systems and the implementation of integration policies to host asylum seekers and refugees. In particular, local authorities have sought to address the challenges posed by integration by putting in place innovative measures. By employing the concept of social innovation, this article provides a glimpse of the variety of integration measures developed at the local level. Focusing on labour market inclusion, this article compares socially innovative practices implemented in two European cities: Bologna and Vienna. The article draws on a document analysis, interviews with local officials and NGO practitioners and workshops to examine the institutional, political and social factors that have shaped the implementation of local social innovation to ease the access of refugees and asylum seekers to the labour market. The findings reveal that the scope and incisiveness of the institutional action, the local political culture and the mobilising capacity of civil society influence the development of local socially innovative practices.