In the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis, civil society organizations (CSOs) have assumed a critical role in addressing the escalating needs of vulnerable groups, including migrants. These organizations focus on promoting social inclusion, generating employment opportunities, fostering local economic development, and alleviating poverty. Through targeted interventions in the public sphere, CSOs continue to offer migrants alternative pathways to navigate political and social exclusion. However, the organizational dimensions of migrant life remain insufficiently explored.
This article examines the networks and practices of migrant organizations in Geneva. Cities, as key sites of migration studies, have garnered significant attention through network and relational approaches, highlighting that local contexts can offer rich and supportive relational opportunities for migrants. These opportunities foster both bridging and bonding ties, which can challenge social exclusion. Considering the extensive range of contacts that migrant organizations establish in host countries, we argue that these networks connect different migrant actors through collaborative activities, involving both "horizontal and vertical" dynamics between migrant and non-migrant organizations, as well as connections to the policy arena.
In analyzing the vertical and horizontal patterns of interaction among 91 migrant-focused organizations in Geneva, we first outline the network structures established by migrants with other civil society actors and institutions. We then examine how these networks converge into subgroups, which are not defined by the conventional divide between social movement organizations and civil society organizations, but by shared strategies for the labor and social integration of migrants. Using relational modeling strategies, our findings contribute to emerging research that connects both civic and political actions, highlighting the relational dynamics between migrant-led organizations and solidarity actors. Migrant participation spans a wide array of activities, including protests, volunteering, and involvement in organizational campaigns. This engagement challenges the traditional distinction between non-profit volunteering and political mobilization. In doing so, we contribute to recent literature that challenges this rigid separation, underscoring the pivotal role of organizations and their activities in bridging volunteerism and social activism to advance migrant political action and mobilization.
