Comparative European Politics

Geddes Book Overview

Geddes argues that migration “challenges” nation-states

How?

Challenges

Organizational and conceptual boundaries

Borders

Forms of social organization, e.g., the welfare state

Ways of Thinking, Us and Them

Thus, International Migration as an INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

X causes Y

Migration causes Social and Political Changes in European Countries

Yet, it can also be thought of in reverse

As a DEPENDENT VARIABLE

As a product of institutions/political cultures of receiving states

As X changes in Europe so does treatment of migrants/immigration policy

What are some of the changes that Geddes suggests are changing the treatment of migrants/immigration policies?

Changes in welfare state/social model

Changes in labor market, labor needs

Changes in international engagements, esp. European Union

e.g. EU efforts to encourage both local cultural and amalgamation/incorporation of new cultures: MELT

Immigration/Migration difficult policy area for European countries

Why?

Immigration not a part of the self-understanding of European countries as it is in settler societies like US, Australia

Analytical Framework

Geddes distinguishes between

IMMIGRATION policy and IMMIGRANT policies

IMMIGRATION POLICY

– macro level, what states do to attract, repel, manage flows of immigrants, migrants especially through the categorization of migrants, e.g. asylum seekers, refugees, migrant laborers, family members, etc.(4)

IMMIGRANT POLICY

– laws on naturalization, citizenship, residency; access to labor market, health care, education; political rights; anti-discrimination laws; policies that seek to promote, preserve or protect aspects of immigrants’ cultural identity