Sanctuary cities as a strategy for positioning themselves in the world. The cases of Valencia and Zaragoza (Spain)

Abstract

This study seeks to define and compare the actions proposed by the local councils of Valencia and Zaragoza, two Spanish cities nominated as 'refuge city'. The analysis period for this case study starts from 2015, a key year in the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, and in which both cities experienced a political change following the municipal elections. From that year, the city councils have included budgetary items for refugee aid. In addition, they make institutional statements, perform awareness campaigns, collaborate with NGOs, integrate in networks of municipalities in solidarity with refugees and participate in international meetings and conferences. However, analysis of the results suggests that these initiatives are dependent on political party strategies rather than a true sense of the city. Despite assuming an effective tactic to position cities in the world by using an autonomous discourse, its implementation is subject to local political dynamics, which renders the proposals fragile.