Contemporary Migration Seen from the Perspective of Political Economy: Theoretical and Methodological Elements (original) (raw)
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Whilst the literature on international migration expands at a seemingly exponential rate, significant statements about the theorisation of migration are much less common; probably they are hindered by the increasing diversification of types of migration. This paper first reviews the various types of migration, and emphasises the need for an interdisciplinary approach to the study and theorisation of migration. In the main part of the paper I provide a personalised overview of theories of international migration, divided into the following sections: push-pull theory and the neoclassical approach; migration and development transitions; historical-structural and political economy models; the role of systems and networks; the 'new economics' of migration; and finally approaches based on the 'transnational turn' in migration studies. In the conclusion I point up some future challenges to theorising migration: the need to embed the study of migration within global processes of social, economic and political transformation and within the biographies of migrants' lifecourses; the importance of also explaining why people do not migrate, and the notion of access to mobility as a differentiating factor of class and inequality; and the relevance of existential and emotional dimensions of migration. The paper is explicitly aimed at a student audience and is intended as a primer to understanding some of the complexities and challenges of theorising migration.
Theoretical Aspects of Migration and its Impact on Political Processes
International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 2020
The authors of the paper set the goal of examining the theoretical aspects of migration and showing the relationship between the influence of this social phenomenon on the political processes of the state and state policy in general. The authors highlight the main interdisciplinary approaches to the definition of the term “migration” with the aim of concretizing it in political science within the framework of the study. The study also answers the question of the relationship between "policy" and "politics" within a migration policy by comparing "state migration policy" and "migration policy", concerning which there is a different interpretation. The object of research is migration. The subject is migration policy and state migration policy. The topic is relevant because in the early 2000s migration acquired a new global scale under the influence of many heterogeneous factors often caused by adverse economic, social and socio-psychological conditions, as well as military conflicts of an interreligious and ethnopolitical nature. The research uses systemic, comparative, institutional, and ethnopolitical approaches. The systematization of approaches presents the scientific novelty to the definition of migration, as well as by the mutual influence of migration processes and political and administrative decisions.
In the context of the contemporary globalized world, international migration gained an increasing interest among social sciences scholars. Which are the main drivers of international migration? Who benefits more from migration: the host or the origin countries or communities? Which is the relationship between migration and social stratification or inequality? What is changing in the identity register for both migrants and natives in social contexts with significant communities of immigrants? Is there any relationship between migration and the new wave of terrorism in Europe? These are only some of the main questions which request the academic community's attention and intricate answers. From this perspective, The Routledge International Handbook of Migration Studies edited by Steven Gold and Stephanie Nawyn is an excellent up to date introduction in a range of topics related to migration studies and a useful tool for scholars interested in economic, cultural and social processes linked to international migration. The Handbook is organized in nine distinct parts covering theoretical and methodological aspects of several dimensions of migration phenomenon. This book review constitutes a brief overview on each of these parts aiming to emphasize some of the most interesting chapters of the handbook. Unauthenticated Download Date | 3/5/15 10:15 PM
Migration is humming with activity and fuelled by the changing nature of typologies, geographies, drivers and, more importantly, changing soceities. At the same time, 'migration' continues to be a key concern of public and policy debates, especially as intersectional issues of labour rights, citizenship, ethnicity and health inequalities. Alongside the traditional migration categories, new typologies have developed that present particular internal dynamics. The complexity of current migration phenomena, the obstacles in data collection and the limitations in theoretical framework pose challenges for migration studies. Valid, reliable, scientifically driven conceptualisations and arguments on migration are a critical need of the hour-not only for researchers and policymakers, but also for the public whose opinion has a significant role in policymaking. It is important to develop theoretical frameworks and statistical resources that capture the dynamism of migration, the various intersections of identity, economics, globalisation and gender accurately. Ongoing efforts for harmonising definitions and new data sources have contributed to the availability and quality of information on migratory flows. Nevertheless, coherence, consistency and comparability in national and international migration statistics may still be the exception rather than the standard. Today in 2020, although a lot of things have drastically changed, the same challenges and gaps about migration statistics continue to persist. These shortcomings constitute a notable obstacle for researchers and authorities to understand global migration patterns better, develop scenarios, design effective policies, monitor the needs of the population, and to identify how these needs change over time. In the last few decades, there have been multiple attempts by national governments, international and regional organisations, and private institutions to collect better data on migration. However, the existing data on international migration suffers from problems (gaps) of inconsistency in definitions and data collection methodology, lack of adequate statistics, ignorance of new data sources and limitations for comparability, among others. On the other hand, it has also been questioned whether existing migration theories and capture contemporary migration patterns, dynamics and status. Recent changes in the dynamics and modalities of migration have not yet been studied beyond predominant theories and their components. Scholars and international institutions have repeatedly highlighted these issues and insisted on the urgent need for comprehensive, accurate and timely data on migration. In spite of efforts, actual improvements have been limited. The ultimate goal of this report is to critically discuss and identify the contemporary gaps in migration data and to map theories and the contemporary migration reality. This elaborate report comprised three sections: a brief overview of major theories of migration, gaps assessment in theories and data and the theories and contemporary migration realities nexus. The discussion of each part is based on detailed and critical reviews. A final analysis of the different perspectives in each section highlights the findings and recommendations. Main conclusions serve as the updated and detailed list of long-lasting shortcomings of the migration theories and data. Although solution suggestions are not part of the specific objectives of this report, the identified gaps will be the starting point for the assessment and validation of alternative data sources and new methodologies to develop better understanding of the migration scnearios. In addition to that, developed recommendations are a considered process of using findings of this report to help policymakers, data collecting institutes and researchers with making decisions on future actions regarding the improvement of the knowledge on the migration scenarios. This report constitutes Deliverable 2.1, for Work Package 2 of the HumMingBird project.
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Reflecting on the changing historical backdrop to the various editions (now 4th) of the widely used handbook Migration Theory: Talking Across Disciplines, edited by Caroline Brettell and James Hollifield, this post-script to the volume offers a brief introduction to the new generation of critical migration studies that have emerged across disciplines, from outside of the migration studies paradigm mostly represented in their collection. It explains the turn to highly politicised and activist-driven critique of the modes of liberal democratic thinking about migration and immigration, which have been exposed as often reproducing techniques of governmental power in the management of populations nationally and internationally. It also addresses the charge of “denying race” in migration studies or that the field is too “white”, while suggesting ways in which the field is being transformed by reflecting on migration in the Global South, or (especially) Global East. It ends with a short sketch of what the author refers to as the study of “political demography”: reframing migration and mobilities studies in line with the critique of critical migration studies and decolonial theory more generally.
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This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Routledge Handbook of Immigration and Refugee Studies on 5th October 2015, available online: https://www.routledge.com/products/9781138794313
Research on migration: facing realities and maximising opportunities: a policy review
2016
This policy review synthesises the main findings from several European projects dealing with migration. Where possible, these findings are matched, or occasionally contrasted, with key insights from the wider research literature on migration and with policy documents. An introductory chapter sets the scene with regard to the ongoing European debate on migration and gives some basic facts and figures. Chapter 2, the first of three substantive chapters, presents research related to the two-way interaction between policies and flows, with a focus on regular migration. Chapter 3 tackles the complex issue of migrants’ integration from a variety of perspectives – economic, social, cultural, spatial and political. Chapter 4 explores the migration – development nexus, and specifically the potential of migration for stimulating development in migrants’ countries of origin. A concluding chapter highlights key findings and policy implications. The title of this report ‘Migration: Facing Realit...