Towards a common European immigration policy? A comparative analysis of Germany, France and the United Kingdom
Towards a common European immigration policy? A comparative analysis of Germany, France and the United Kingdom
The policies of western European governments towards immigrants have undergone a period of change; from a period which emphasised the economic benefits of immigration as an enabler of growth prior to the 1980s, policy has switched to one which sees immigration as a problem, as a threat to the national policy and society. Most recently, the opening of the borders between east and western Europe has enabled more people to migrate to the member states of the European Union, and stimulated an even more urgent attention to policy. This thesis examines the ways in which the three largest European Union economies have addressed these issues over the recent period, illuminating differences and identifying commonalties. These national-level policy processes are then related to the level of the European Union itself.
A number of factors, both external and internal to Europe, have affected immigration policy, and these vary from country to country, as will be demonstrated through the three national case studies. Closer European integration has led to measures to tighten immigration controls at the Union's external borders as a common reaction to the new challenges.
The argument turns around a contrast between the processes of exclusion and inclusion which are the twin faces of immigration policy. The interaction between the demarcation processes of the nation state, on the one hand, and European integration and processes of globalisation, on the other hand, have led to the re-affirmation of the national prerogative of immigration policy making. This is demonstrated here with the example of two demarcation processes: the political control of immigration as an example of an external demarction process and naturalisation policies as an example of an internal demarcation process.
University of Southampton
Schmidt, Sandra Erika
59f4a634-4ef9-47d8-99d2-c9046681b0b9
2000
Schmidt, Sandra Erika
59f4a634-4ef9-47d8-99d2-c9046681b0b9
Schmidt, Sandra Erika
(2000)
Towards a common European immigration policy? A comparative analysis of Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The policies of western European governments towards immigrants have undergone a period of change; from a period which emphasised the economic benefits of immigration as an enabler of growth prior to the 1980s, policy has switched to one which sees immigration as a problem, as a threat to the national policy and society. Most recently, the opening of the borders between east and western Europe has enabled more people to migrate to the member states of the European Union, and stimulated an even more urgent attention to policy. This thesis examines the ways in which the three largest European Union economies have addressed these issues over the recent period, illuminating differences and identifying commonalties. These national-level policy processes are then related to the level of the European Union itself.
A number of factors, both external and internal to Europe, have affected immigration policy, and these vary from country to country, as will be demonstrated through the three national case studies. Closer European integration has led to measures to tighten immigration controls at the Union's external borders as a common reaction to the new challenges.
The argument turns around a contrast between the processes of exclusion and inclusion which are the twin faces of immigration policy. The interaction between the demarcation processes of the nation state, on the one hand, and European integration and processes of globalisation, on the other hand, have led to the re-affirmation of the national prerogative of immigration policy making. This is demonstrated here with the example of two demarcation processes: the political control of immigration as an example of an external demarction process and naturalisation policies as an example of an internal demarcation process.
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Published date: 2000
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Local EPrints ID: 464183
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/464183
PURE UUID: cc90ace2-2e33-4ce2-893f-9f50f655cc89
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 21:27
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 19:19
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Author:
Sandra Erika Schmidt
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