European Migration Policy Research Articles

In search of solace and finding servitude: human trafficking and the human trafficking vulnerability of African asylum seekers in Malta

This article presents the findings of a 12-month ethnographic study of the development of human trafficking vulnerability among African irregular migrants in Malta. It illustrates the role that European migration and asylum policies have played when fostering the development of trafficking vulnerabilities amongst asylum seekers following their arrival through the gates of Fortress Europe. It critically evaluates the discourse and discursive frameworks that have held dominion over the way in which academics and policy-makers have understood human trafficking practices, drawing attention to forms of human trafficking exploitation that are underrepresented within both trafficking literature and empirical studies.

The tirailleurs and the migrants: Malian postcolonial criticism remembers

Abstract This article explores how the strengthening of migration policies in Europe from the 1970s onwards contributed to a renewal of the issues at stake in postcolonial criticism. It shows the place of the historical figure of the ‘tirailleur’ in negotiations and mobilizations related to migration policies. The sacrifice during the two world wars of colonial subjects integrated into the colonial army at the end of the nineteenth century appears as a central narrative in the development of a critique of the hegemonic and unilateral policies pursued by the former colonial powers towards their former colonies in relation to migration control. The invocation of the ‘tirailleur’ and of the ‘debt of blood’ is the basis of a postcolonial critique, which sees contemporary constraints on migration in the light of the sacrifice of the tirailleurs, and revives the question of colonial responsibility in a postcolonial context.

The New Line of the European Union in Migration Domain: Emphases And Mechanisms

Article is devoted to complex research of new mechanisms of the European migration policy which underwent essential changes in process of increase of migratory streams. Now its main components are strengthening of measures against illegal migration, support of legal migration (in particular, simplification of entrance for highly qualified specialists), integration of already arrived migrants into West European society. Though migration policy is still one of the cornerstones of the general foreign policy of EU countries, legal regulation of illegal migration still fully doesn’t answer modern realities.

Climate Change, Migration and the Cosmopolitan Dilemma

AbstractAt its simplest, migration refers to the movement of people and their temporary or permanent geographical relocation. People have always been on the move and they have moved over great distances. In this article I set out a brief historical understanding of migration, and then focus on Europe and, finally, current dilemmas of European migration policy. In an era of climate change, war and uneven development, the pressures of migration have grown and could soon create an ever greater avalanche of movement. States act in a paradoxical way. On the one hand, they recognise the nature of the migration crisis and the necessity to broaden the definition of those who need urgent assistance. On the other hand, most host countries act on increasingly narrow definitions of those who warrant assistance and perhaps resettlement. This dilemma is examined and tentative steps are set down to show how it might be resolved.

Making Immigration Work: How Britain and Europe Can Cope with their Immigration Crises (TheGovernment and Opposition/Leonard Schapiro Lecture, 2015)

This article provides a review of the economic, demographic and welfare effects of immigration in contemporary Europe. It argues that the economic benefits of migration are small but positive, its welfare effects minimal if not non-existent, and its demographic effects modest but real. It then provides a series of recommendations for governing migration policy in Europe: keeping the borders open but controlled; keeping employment high and income support low, and keeping speech free but fair. The most important policy recommendation centres on work: immigration policy will only work when immigrants work.

FROM “OPEN DOOR POLICY” TO MIGRANT CRISIS: THE REFORMING OF MIGRATION POLICY IN EUROPEAN AND NATIONAL DIMENSIONS (THE EXAMPLES OF GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE)

This article concentrates on the main problems of reforming of the current EU migration policy. The authors examine the EU’s legal norms and national judicial basics in the sphere in order to emphasize a certain evolution of the approaches of member states to migration control issues. Longterm crisis in the EU migration policies, which was strengthen in 2014-2015, is going ahead. National governments are obliged to seek for comprehensible ways out of such situation both at supranational and national levels. Hence, we can consider common features of their policies as well as evident distinctions. To illustrate last changes in European migration policy we use the examples of Great Britain and France. Both countries are concerned by huge diffi culties of their policy realization: the newcomers do not succeed to integrate themselves into society and prefer to live in isolated quarters with their culture and religion; at the same time, the popularity of radical anti-immigrant parties steadily grows. British and French governments are to fi nd a balance between free immigration policy and the duty to ensure security whereas security risks are rising in such social circumstances. The authors conclude that refugee crisis of 2014-2015 should induce European countries to rethink their migration policies. The «open door policy» and streams of refugees cause the overexertion of state’s potential to accommodate newcomers. The problem has already got a security dimension, so that more determined measures are necessary to be taken. British, French and other European governments should reestablish their priorities in favor of responsible and restrictive approach.

Political and legal framework of contemporary migrations in southeast Europe

The phenomenon of human migrations is as old as the civilization. The reasons why people choose to change their place of residence are complex and subject to frequent changes. That is why the classification of migration is a very complex matter, both for legal and security theorists. However, international legal regulations have been adopted, which provide rights for migrants. On the other hand, the given rights to freedom of movement and protection from persecution are limited by state sovereignty, as historical, legal and political category. When supranational international organizations, such as the European Union and other regional organizations, are added to national sovereignty, the difficulty of legal regulation of that matter can be understood. Countries in the region are trying to adapt to circumstances arising from mass migrations through their respective territories, where each is led primarily by political decisions based on national interests, in the absence of a broader, European migration policy that would be a comprehensive effort to solve the afore mentioned problem. The Southeast European region is a transit hub for smuggling, trafficking and illegal migrations in general, which requires further caution of competent authorities when classifying certain categories of migrants and, therefore, the compliance with international and domestic standards regarding their guaranteed rights. The aim of this paper is to analyze global and regional migrations and their future trends, with a focus on South East European region, as well as to establish basic motives that cause migration processes and their classification, which could be used for the proper treatment of migrants in accordance with their rights and the respective national legislation.

Dystopia deconstructed: Applying the triple helix model to a failed utopia

This study analyzes the failure of a literary utopian system—Veronica Roth's Divergent—drawing from difference, which the divergent and the factionless represent. The analysis of the causes and consequences of difference from a socioeconomic perspective reveals a system that the triple helix model can improve. The adapted model based on cooperation and knowledge transfer adds two connections to the three main axes: Universities (Erudite), Government (Abnegation), and Industry (Amity), and gives the divergent a key role: inter-faction coordinators. Following a review of European migration policies, the study explores the creation of a new faction for the factionless. Regarding innovation, the application of a theoretical model to a fictional society offers some insight into adapting the triple helix model to a real society in broad terms. The study exemplifies the applications of interdisciplinary research to probing in the understanding of theoretical systems.

Migration Flows form New Member States and the Prospect of Britain’s Withdrawal from the European Union

Ever since the European Union expanded to admit first eights Central and Eastern European countries in 2004, and then two more in 2007, internal migration has become a major social and political matter especially in Britain, which is one of the main destinations for thousands of migrants. This article builds on the body of data provided by British national institutions to examine the kingdom’s economic interests in revising its own deal in European migration policy. It presents the contemporary concerns with migrants’ flows from new member states in the wider perspective of Britain’s complex relationship with Europe and its own contested integration with the Union. The paper’s main objective though is to argue whether questioning the existing integration principles, including the principle of free movement, is justified or whether it has just become a convenient matter in the discussion on Britain’s likely withdrawal from the organization in 2017.

Do we live in a Marxian world?

This paper proposes a scientific discussion from a Marxian-feminist point of view as a critical response to the European “austerity policies”. Nowadays global inequalities are very relevant, particularly a proletarization process based on an increase in class struggle, growing inequalities, unsustainability and the transnational concentration of power and wealth. The neoliberal approach ignores Marx’s theory and suggests that the Marxian view fails to explain the current economic system. However, I believe this to be a (dishonest) simplification of Marx’s theory (because data is very clear). This misrepresentation has a negative effect on the overall validity and sustainability of several European policies, mainly distribution and migration policies. Consequently, some policy recommendations need to be readdressed, including from a feminist point of view.

Policing the Desert: The IOM in Libya Beyond War and Peace

AbstractThe war that took place in Libya in 2011 forced 1.5 million people to leave the country. Many of them, from sub‐Saharan Africa, were helped to return to their countries of origin by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This paper questions the purely humanitarian nature of the IOM intervention with references to its activities before and after the conflict. It shows that this organization has long participated in the implementation of European migration policies in Libya, and more widely in the Sahara, without being accountable to any people. Through the replacement of local politics by international crisis management, the Sahara is gradually integrated into a zone of international bureaucratic expedience. War and humanitarian intervention appear as contingencies in the progressive implementation of a global system of surveillance, spatial control and management of mobility in Africa.

(Supra)National Identity and Language: Rethinking National and European Migration Policies and the Linguistic Integration of Migrants

ABSTRACTIn this paper we juxtapose the European Union's (EU's) supranational policies on language and migration with their recontextualisation into national policies of the linguistic integration of migrants in two EU member states, Austria and Greece. The EU member states adapt the European legislation according to their national laws (National Acton Plans) which have to also account for national traditions and national citizenship legislation. Moreover, we explore the national regulations on language testing and the linguistic integration of migrants in Austria and Greece which are part and parcel of the National Action Plans and which establish obstacles for migrants: Indeed, they function as gate-keepers. Hence, a context-dependent micro-level discourse analytic approach suggests itself.The data for the analysis stem from legal and policy texts of the EU, Austria and Greece (regulations on citizenship, language education, testing and the linguistic integration of migrants). By employing the Discourse Historical Approach (DHA) of Critical Discourse Studies we analyze how specific EU regulations are implemented in national legislation; how migrants, who live in Austria and Greece are represented by the legislators, and finally how the respective national identities in the context of migration legislation are constructed.

Challenges of Humanitarian Aid-Relief Operations: From Migration Policies to Field Work in Aid Relief

Th e consequences of armed confl icts generate a massive refugee infl ux, setting the course for refugee crises and migrations. A vast infl ux of refugees is inevitable under these conditions, and the migration policies in Europe have taken diff erent stances depending on political agenda. Th is study uses qualitative research with the aim of identifying the challenges and obstacles which humanitarian aid relief agencies are facing in armed confl icts, its overall eff ects in saving civilians, the infl uence of refugee camps in encouraging migration, and the impact of migration policies on migration movements. Th e techniques used in the research are document overview (media reports, international documents, covenants and charters) and case study analysis (experiences and practices of the previous aid relief operations). Th e results reveal the major challenges that humanitarian aid relief operations are faced with, setting the ground for further research into the causes of humanitarian aid relief failures.

What explains differences in countries’ migration policies?

The aim of this paper is to analyse the reasons for differences in national migration policies. European societies are struggling with the problem of how to best include the immigrants in their social structures. Although national migration policies in Europe have developed some common elements in recent years the contents and structure of national programmes vary widely in terms of their scope, goals, target groups and the institutional actors involved. The main question of the paper is “What explains the different migration policies of countries?” To answer the question, after mentioning the current differences within the European Union in terms of their migration policies, the paper will take Germany and France as examples which demonstrate sharply different cases of immigrant integration policies in the public course.

Tackling Germany’s Demographic Skills Shortage: Permanent Settlement Intentions of the Recent Wave of Labour Migrants from Non-European Countries

Confronted with structural demographic challenges, during the last decade European countries have adopted new labour migration policies. The sustainability of these policies largely depends on the intentions of migrants to stay in their country of destination for the long term or even permanently. Despite a growing dependence on skilled labour migrants, very little information exists about the dynamics of this new wave of migration and existing research findings with their focus on earlier migrant generations are hardly applicable today. The article comparatively tests major theoretical approaches accounting for permanent settlement intentions of Germany’s most recent labour migrants from non-European countries on the basis of a new administrative dataset. Although the recent wave of labour migrants is on average a privileged group with regard to their human capital, fundamentally different mechanisms are shaping their future migration intentions. In contrast to neo-classical expectations, a first path highlights economic factors that determine temporary stays of a creative class benefiting from opportunities of an increasingly international labour market. Instead, socio-cultural and institutional factors are the decisive determinants of a second path leading towards permanent settlement intentions. Three main factors—language skills, the family context and the legal framework—make migrants stay in Germany, providing important implications for adjusting and strengthening labour migration policies in Europe.

Crisis in the Mediterranean neighbourhood: A test for the European union migration policy

The paper analyses the implementation of the EU immigration and asylum policy and the control of EU member states' external borders in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. The author argues that the European Union pursues an exclusive version of those policies aimed at reducing the immigration pressure as well as preventing illegal border crossings into the member states. Two key mechanisms have been identified in the EU policy implementation: 1) a restrictive border control regime, and 2) agreements to transfer border management and supervision tasks to the third countries (transitional countries). The author emphasizes that the development of an exclusive migration strategy was not followed by the needed changes of the inclusive aspects of the EU immigration and asylum policy and the control of external borders; in fact, the EU member state's asylum systems were not preventively strengthened as to enhance national capacities to receive and integrate new migrants. The dramatic increase of the number of illegal crossings of the European Union external borders in 2014 caused the collapse of the EU immigration strategy, and failures in national asylum systems of the member states. The author concludes that partially integrated EU immigration and asylum policy at national level led to the dysfunctional external border management and the EU's loss of control over massive immigration influxes.

Western European Immigration Policy: Implications and Lessons for Russia

This study explores the experience of West European migration policy and the opportunities for its application inRussia. The increase in migratory flows requires new approaches to policy-making. In addition experienceaddress these problems illustrates the ambiguity of ways to their solution. The purpose of this study is toestablish a causal relationship, identification of key trends in the development of this phenomenon as migrationin the context of globalization, the analysis of potential challenges for Russia on the basis of foreign experience.Also addresses the issue of the possible impact of international sanctions against Russia for the furtherdevelopment of policies towards migrants.

Introduction

“Family migration” and “integration” are intimately related concepts in policy discourses in Europe today. Assumptions about the relation between “family migration” and “integration” play a crucial role in shaping policies. This special issue aims to examine the axis between “family migration,” “policy,” and “integration,” both from a policy perspective, and from the perspective of individuals engaged in family migration. In this introduction, we first discuss scholarly work on family migration policies in Europe, which analyzes how policies and discourses on family migration and integration participate in the politics of belonging. Second, we explore the fragmented and incomplete insights offered by existing research about the actual relation between family migration and migrant integration.

Lithuanian Migration Policy in respect of Third-country Nationals: Experience and Tendencies

Migration policy was recognised as a relevant topic a decade ago, when it was acknowledged as a tool to improve demographical and economic situation of the countries. Nowadays migration issues is one of the mostly discussed theme in the European Union. Through the incessant emigration, ageing of the citizens and brain drain phenomenon Lithuania inevitably face growing demand of imigrants from third –countries. Although it is recognized in Lithuania that economic and demographic situation of the country can be improved by means of imigration from third – countries, migration policy in regard to the third-country-nationals is not ideal and it‘s practical implementation does not operate well. Lithuania does not have enough practise in this scope – migration policy in our country has been relevant only since Lithuania became the member of European Union and national migration policy was started to harmonise with requirements of the European Union. According to the results of analysis can be concluded that in order to improve implementation of migration policy in Lithuania, firstly it must be tought about purposeful and consecutive development of migration policy and integration of third-country nationals. Unfortunately migration policy in Lithuania at the moment is based only on short-term economic needs.

The EU’s migration and development policy: New approaches in economics for more effective public aid

Among the EU member states, increasing immigration has led to a recent debate over changes to European refugee and migration policies. The desire among the poor to escape from a hopeless economic and social situation in their home countries is the most common impetus for their migration. As the EU is the world’s biggest donor of public development aid, new approaches in European development politics are much needed to increase the effectiveness of this aid and to create a sustainable improvement of the economic situation among the poor. This article focuses on a new approach to implement more efficient and cost-effective development strategies that include individual time preference as well as insights from behavioural and experimental economics.