Notes – Politics of Migration 2024
Seminar 01: 05/02/2024
Introduction
Core debate
- To what extent are states capable of controlling migration?
- Which factors shape their ability to do so?
- What dilemmas are state actors confronted to when developing migration policies?
The biases of the debate
- Migration studies has been dominated by Eurocentric views and authors.
- Which voices are missing?
- What assumptions is the article based on?
- What worldview does the article (implicitly) adopt?
Definitions
- Migration policy
- Zolberg (1978, p. 243): Tools
- Formal rules, laws, and regulations,
- Informal state approaches such as administrative practices,
- The absence of regulation and purposive laissez-faire.
- Hammar (1985, pp. 7-9): Substance
- Immigration control policy
- Selection and admission of migrants, such as border control policies, visa
requirements, or regularisations, as well as its consequence of expulsion and
return policies.
- Immigrant policy
- Conditions for migrant’s stay and integration, such as socio-economic rights
related to education, health, and work.
- Emigration and diaspora policies.
- Sciortino (2004, pp. 32-33): Migration regime
- A country’s migration regime is usually not the outcome of consistent planning.
- It is rather a mix of implicit conceptual frames, generations of turf wars among
bureaucracies and waves after waves of quick fix to emergencies, triggered by changing
political constellation of actors.
- Migration politics
- It is about power relations.
- Dynamics that characterise debates and decision about migration policy.
- Conflicting interests among and within actors at the local, national, and international level.
,Notes – Politics of Migration 2024
Jagdish Bhagwati: Borders Beyond Control (2003)
- Bhagwati argues that borders have become uncontrollable due to globalisation and the ineffectiveness of
traditional migration control measures. He advocates for a shift in policy focus from attempting to stop
migration to managing it effectively to control potential benefits (paradigm shift in policy).
- Reflections:
- Bhagwati’s perspective challenges traditional views on immigration control, highlighting the
complexity of migration in a globalised world.
- The article is thought-provoking, especially its critique of the effectiveness of current immigration
policies and its call for a more nuanced approach.
- It complements discussions on state sovereignty and migration management, offering a global
perspective contrasting with Freeman’s focus on liberal democracies.
- Summary:
- Biggest problem for developing countries:
- ‘Brain dump’ is where intellectuals and highly trained people leave the country to pursue
a better life elsewhere.
- Biggest problem for developed countries:
- Illegal immigration of low-skilled workers and forced migration as these types cannot be
controlled effectively.
- Students who study abroad often stay in their destination country to pursue work.
- Bhagwati proposes the creation of a World Migration Organization to facilitate international
cooperation on migration issues.
- Diaspora approach:
- Emigrants still have rights in their home country and stay connected to it.
- Critical Question:
- How feasible is Bhagwati’s proposal for a World Migration Organization in the current geopolitical
context, and would it address member states’ diverse and often conflicting interests effectively?
- While the author argues that developing countries must move to a diaspora model, this could
also lead to more emigration as the country becomes dependent on remittances. Would this not
be a negative spiral?
, Notes – Politics of Migration 2024
Gary Freeman: Can Liberal States Control Unwanted Migration (1994)
- Freeman challenges the notion that liberal democracies are inherently hopeless at managing immigration,
arguing for their significant, though often underestimated, regulatory capacity across different domains of
migration policy.
- Reflections:
- The article prompts reconsideration of the effectiveness of immigration control in liberal states,
moving away from a generalised critique to a nuanced understanding.
- Freeman’s argument is enlightening, particularly in how it disaggregates migration policy to reveal
varied state capacities.
- This work connects with broader discussions on state sovereignty and the balance between open
borders and national security, complementing and contrasting with other readings on migration
governance.
- Summary:
- Selecting legal migrants:
- Non-discriminatory policies reduce the capacities of liberal states.
- Point system: countries rate prospective immigrants based on economic factors.
- Family reunification system: drives most migration (2/3 in the USA).
- Controlling illegal migrants:
- External controls: physical controls at borders.
- Internal controls: checking whether people on visas leave the country. The effectiveness
of internal controls depends on the location (USA vs. Australia).
- Employer sanctions: taking away the possibility of working should reduce illegal
immigration.
- Temporary workers program:
- Getting the allocational benefits of migration while reducing the distributional costs.
- Example: guest worker program in Germany.
- States must plan to return migrants before they come.
- Temporary worker programs tend to produce permanent immigration because the
people create new lives.
- Refugee selection:
- International norms reduce the flexibility of states.
- The distinction between economic and political refugees became more apparent.
- Critical Question:
- Does Freeman adequately consider the role of international cooperation and the impact of
globalisation on states’ ability to control migration, or does he overemphasise the autonomy of
national policies?
Seminar 01: 05/02/2024
Introduction
Core debate
- To what extent are states capable of controlling migration?
- Which factors shape their ability to do so?
- What dilemmas are state actors confronted to when developing migration policies?
The biases of the debate
- Migration studies has been dominated by Eurocentric views and authors.
- Which voices are missing?
- What assumptions is the article based on?
- What worldview does the article (implicitly) adopt?
Definitions
- Migration policy
- Zolberg (1978, p. 243): Tools
- Formal rules, laws, and regulations,
- Informal state approaches such as administrative practices,
- The absence of regulation and purposive laissez-faire.
- Hammar (1985, pp. 7-9): Substance
- Immigration control policy
- Selection and admission of migrants, such as border control policies, visa
requirements, or regularisations, as well as its consequence of expulsion and
return policies.
- Immigrant policy
- Conditions for migrant’s stay and integration, such as socio-economic rights
related to education, health, and work.
- Emigration and diaspora policies.
- Sciortino (2004, pp. 32-33): Migration regime
- A country’s migration regime is usually not the outcome of consistent planning.
- It is rather a mix of implicit conceptual frames, generations of turf wars among
bureaucracies and waves after waves of quick fix to emergencies, triggered by changing
political constellation of actors.
- Migration politics
- It is about power relations.
- Dynamics that characterise debates and decision about migration policy.
- Conflicting interests among and within actors at the local, national, and international level.
,Notes – Politics of Migration 2024
Jagdish Bhagwati: Borders Beyond Control (2003)
- Bhagwati argues that borders have become uncontrollable due to globalisation and the ineffectiveness of
traditional migration control measures. He advocates for a shift in policy focus from attempting to stop
migration to managing it effectively to control potential benefits (paradigm shift in policy).
- Reflections:
- Bhagwati’s perspective challenges traditional views on immigration control, highlighting the
complexity of migration in a globalised world.
- The article is thought-provoking, especially its critique of the effectiveness of current immigration
policies and its call for a more nuanced approach.
- It complements discussions on state sovereignty and migration management, offering a global
perspective contrasting with Freeman’s focus on liberal democracies.
- Summary:
- Biggest problem for developing countries:
- ‘Brain dump’ is where intellectuals and highly trained people leave the country to pursue
a better life elsewhere.
- Biggest problem for developed countries:
- Illegal immigration of low-skilled workers and forced migration as these types cannot be
controlled effectively.
- Students who study abroad often stay in their destination country to pursue work.
- Bhagwati proposes the creation of a World Migration Organization to facilitate international
cooperation on migration issues.
- Diaspora approach:
- Emigrants still have rights in their home country and stay connected to it.
- Critical Question:
- How feasible is Bhagwati’s proposal for a World Migration Organization in the current geopolitical
context, and would it address member states’ diverse and often conflicting interests effectively?
- While the author argues that developing countries must move to a diaspora model, this could
also lead to more emigration as the country becomes dependent on remittances. Would this not
be a negative spiral?
, Notes – Politics of Migration 2024
Gary Freeman: Can Liberal States Control Unwanted Migration (1994)
- Freeman challenges the notion that liberal democracies are inherently hopeless at managing immigration,
arguing for their significant, though often underestimated, regulatory capacity across different domains of
migration policy.
- Reflections:
- The article prompts reconsideration of the effectiveness of immigration control in liberal states,
moving away from a generalised critique to a nuanced understanding.
- Freeman’s argument is enlightening, particularly in how it disaggregates migration policy to reveal
varied state capacities.
- This work connects with broader discussions on state sovereignty and the balance between open
borders and national security, complementing and contrasting with other readings on migration
governance.
- Summary:
- Selecting legal migrants:
- Non-discriminatory policies reduce the capacities of liberal states.
- Point system: countries rate prospective immigrants based on economic factors.
- Family reunification system: drives most migration (2/3 in the USA).
- Controlling illegal migrants:
- External controls: physical controls at borders.
- Internal controls: checking whether people on visas leave the country. The effectiveness
of internal controls depends on the location (USA vs. Australia).
- Employer sanctions: taking away the possibility of working should reduce illegal
immigration.
- Temporary workers program:
- Getting the allocational benefits of migration while reducing the distributional costs.
- Example: guest worker program in Germany.
- States must plan to return migrants before they come.
- Temporary worker programs tend to produce permanent immigration because the
people create new lives.
- Refugee selection:
- International norms reduce the flexibility of states.
- The distinction between economic and political refugees became more apparent.
- Critical Question:
- Does Freeman adequately consider the role of international cooperation and the impact of
globalisation on states’ ability to control migration, or does he overemphasise the autonomy of
national policies?
