Towards a global network of sanctuary or solidarity cities

This chapter looks at the functions played by sanctuary and solidarity cities. Specifically, we address how they organize glocally (connecting the local and global scales) through establishing networks of sanctuary/solidarity cities. First, we define the concepts of sanctuary and solidarity cities and their importance to strengthen progressive localism. Later, we present a framework to understand the relations between the local and global scales (as well as other scales) when organized in a networked form. We apply this framework on three cases that demonstrate the development of a plurality of types of networks of sanctuary/solidarity cities: Fearless Cities, World Social Forum on Migrations and Inclusive Cities, and Solidarity Communities. We conclude the chapter with some reflections on the developmental potentials and limitations of these different networks of sanctuary/solidarity cities. Our findings point to both an elevation of progressive municipalism towards a global municipalism as well as attempts to establish alternatives to the global institutions of migration management. The impact of such networks is still to be understood over of a longer span of time, and they all face particular challenges.