Migration Regimes, Intra-State Conflicts, and the Politics of Exclusion and Inclusion: Migrant Workers in the Israeli Welfare State

Abstract

This article examines the politics of exclusion and inclusion of migrant workers in the welfare state within the context of the migration regime dominant in Israel. The study shows that while the policy implemented is marked by strong exclusionary practices, some state agencies endorse and implement inclusionary approaches that contradict the basic assumptions of the migration regime. This inconsistency is analyzed considering the distinct institutional interests of different state agencies. This conceptualization of the state as a heterogeneous institutional complex sheds light on the complexities of the politics of exclusion and inclusion. It is concluded that, even in cases in which the migration regime is strongly associated with restrictive ethno-national conceptions of membership, certain state agencies develop institutional interests that lead to inclusionary approaches. These approaches, in turn, can create openings leading to the partial inclusion of migrant workers in the welfare state. At a more general level, the study contributes to the examination of policy innovations that depart from the principles of dominant institutional settings, arguing that new interests and agendas developed by state agencies play a crucial role in these processes.