Co-creation of a shelter city: the case of civil society organizations in Granada, Spain

In 2015 when Europe was experiencing the so-called “refugee crisis” solidarity actions were emerging from civil society organizations to address the gaps left by the national government, and the creation of shelter cities is a prime example this. Shelter cities aimed to become a safe place for people with a migration background. The city of Granada was one of the few small cities in Spain to join this commitment, which is particularly interesting given the rich migration history of the city. In light of Granada being a shelter city, this research explores the sheltering actions of civil society migrant organizations with particular attention towards the different tensions that exist in the city and the solidarity actions to overcome them. This research leverages the concept of conviviality to look at the actions taken by civil society migrant organizations which goes beyond mere coexistence and promotes relationships among individuals while also focusing on the well-being of people with a migration background. The research findings are underpinned by fieldwork based in Granada and the use qualitative research methods including interviews and observation.