An article compared trade union strategies in the United Kingdom, Norway and Germany toward migrant workers from the 'new Europe'. Trade union responses were shaped by the complex interplay of national industrial relations systems, sectoral dynamics, European Union regulation, and the agency of individual trade unions.
Source: Jane Hardy, Line Eldring, and Thorsten Schulten, 'Trade union responses to migrant workers from the "new Europe": a three sector comparison in the UK, Norway and Germany', European Journal of Industrial Relations, Volume 18 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Dec
A paper provided an overview of the academic literature on European Union labour migration policies.
Source: Marie De Somer, Trends and Gaps in the Academic Literature on EU Labour Migration Policies, Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Dec
A paper examined the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating immigrant groups in European cities.
Source: Immigrant Integration in European Cities, European Urban Knowledge Network
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Dec
A paper examined the factors that were likely to have an impact on anti-immigration attitudes in Europe, focusing on regional characteristics. Regions with a higher percentage of immigrants born outside the European Union and a higher unemployment rate among the immigrant population showed a higher probability of native people expressing negative attitudes to immigration. Regions with a higher unemployment rate among natives, however, showed less pronounced anti-immigrant attitudes.
Source: Yvonni Markaki and Simonetta Longhi, What Determines Attitudes to Immigration in European Countries? An analysis at the regional level, Discussion Paper 33/12, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (University College London)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Nov
A new book examined the extent to which women and migrant/minority groups were included or excluded in European public spheres.
Source: Birte Siim and Monika Mokre (eds), Negotiating Gender and Diversity in an Emergent European Public Sphere, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Nov
A report highlighted categories of migrant workers, namely those with low- and medium-skill levels, that were often treated differently from the highly skilled by immigration policies in the European Union. Debate in Europe had mainly focused on the need to attract more highly skilled migrants from outside the EU to boost competitiveness by increasing the talent pool – whereas less skilled migrants had seen the few existing entry doors often being shut, and those already in the EU were portrayed as a societal burden.
Source: Anna Platonova and Giuliana Urso (eds), Labour Market Inclusion of the Less Skilled Migrants in the European Union, International Labour Organization
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Nov
An article highlighted the 'dangerous, indeed poisonous, nature' of debates on immigration and multiculturalism in Europe. There was a 'crisis of values', which had been consistently overlooked or manipulated by politicians and academics alike, or reduced to an epiphenomenon bound to disappear when global financial crisis was over.
Source: Umut Ozkirimli, '"And people's concerns were genuine: why didn't we listen more?": nationalism, multiculturalism and recognition in Europe', Journal of Contemporary European Studies, Volume 20 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Oct
An article said that the development of European Union asylum and migration policy had often been explained as the result of 'venue-shopping' – that is, the move by policy-makers to an European policy venue in order to avoid national constraints. It said that, contrary to what would have been expected on the basis of this widespread view, EU co-operation on asylum matters had actually led to a rise in the legal standards applicable to asylum-seekers and refugees. This outcome could be mainly explained by broader changes that had gradually affected the EU 'system of venues' and had thereby decreased the likelihood of more restrictive measures being adopted in the EU asylum policy venue. This had important implications for the EU governance of asylum and migration in general.
Source: Christian Kaunert and Sarah Leonard, 'The development of the EU asylum policy: venue-shopping in perspective', Journal of European Public Policy, Volume 19 Issue 9
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Oct
A paper examined the effect of immigration on native income inequality in western Europe. Immigration was found to be associated with a decrease in income inequality at the bottom of the distribution. However, no causal effect was found of immigration on income dispersion.
Source: Tommaso Frattini, Immigration and Inequality in Europe, Discussion Paper 44, GINI Project (European Commission)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Sep
A new book examined how cultural integration of immigrants in Europe related to economic integration; how European countries differed in their cultural integration process, and which models of integration worked; and the implications of the cultural integration process for civic participation and public policies.
Source: Yann Algan, Alberto Bisin, Alan Manning, and Thierry Verdier (eds), Cultural Integration of Immigrants in Europe, Oxford University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Sep
An article drew on empirical research on migrant care work to develop links between three levels of analysis – micro, meso, and macro. The main aim was to progress analysis of the meso level by developing indicators attached to three sets of regimes – care regimes, migration regimes, and employment regimes. Variations in the ways these three regimes intersected within any one country revealed a growing convergence across Europe in the employment of migrant care labour. This convergence contributed, at the macro level, to a transnational political economy of care.
Source: Fiona Williams, 'Converging variations in migrant care work in Europe', Journal of European Social Policy, Volume 22 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Sep
A paper examined the possible determinants of peoples' attitudes towards immigrants in Europe. Those groups who were generally more tolerant towards immigrants included ethnic minorities, urban people, people with higher education and higher income, and people who had work experience abroad. People whose attitudes to socio-economic risks were lower, and who evaluated the political and legal systems of a country and its police higher, were also more tolerant. Respondents' labour market status did not have a statistically significant relationship with their attitudes towards immigrants.
Source: Tiiu Paas and Vivika Halapuu, Determinants of People's Attitudes towards Immigrants in Europe, Working Paper 88, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Sep
A paper examined whether immigrants to the United Kingdom and Germany differed in their use of health services from native-born individuals on arrival and over time. Although immigrants to Germany (but not the UK) were more likely to self-report poor health than the native-born population, immigrants used hospital and family doctor services at broadly the same rate as the native-born populations in both countries.
Source: Jonathan Wadsworth, Musn't Grumble: Immigration, health and health service use in the UK and Germany, Discussion Paper 21/12, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (University College London)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Sep
A paper examined the effect of feelings of physical insecurity on the perceived consequences of immigration and the preferred level of restriction in this policy area, based on data for 12 western European countries. It also emphasized the importance of social alienation, radical-right partisanship, and 'tough on crime' attitudes on the formation of anti-immigration opinions.
Source: Mihail Chiru and Sergiu Gherghina, Physical Insecurity and Anti-Immigration Views in Western Europe, Working Paper 12-98, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (University of Oxford)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Sep
A paper examined the interaction between Muslim groups and other political actors in seven European societies (including the United Kingdom). Analysis of news media suggested that the construction of Muslim groups as a politically relevant category was largely done by non-Muslim political actors. The frames used in claims about Muslims differed significantly from those used for other immigrant groups. Whereas the most common frames for immigrants more generally were instrumental, for Muslims identity-based arguments were invoked more frequently. Muslims were talked about almost exclusively in connexion with integration rather than immigration.
Source: Didier Ruedin and Joost Berkhout, Patterns of Claims-Making on Civic Integration and Migration in Europe: Are Muslims Different?, Working Paper 2012-08, Support and Opposition to Migration Project (European Commission)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Sep
A paper examined the relationship between immigration, diversity and social cohesion, drawing on research in the United States of America, United Kingdom, and other European countries.
Source: Neli Demireva, Immigration, Diversity and Social Cohesion, Migration Observatory (University of Oxford)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Aug
A new book provided a systematic comparative analysis of immigrants' social rights across five European welfare states (including the United Kingdom) and the United States of America.
Source: Diane Sainsbury, Welfare States and Immigrant Rights: The politics of inclusion and exclusion, Oxford University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Aug
An article examined whether the confidence of immigrants in European countries in criminal justice institutions could be explained by two counteracting processes: expectations formed in the country of origin and discrimination experienced in the residence country. The data strongly supported the hypothesis that the high confidence of first-generation immigrants could be explained by frames of reference formed in the country of origin. Some, but limited, support was also found for the impact of discrimination.
Source: Antje Roder and Peter Muhlau, 'What determines the trust of immigrants in criminal justice institutions in Europe?', European Journal of Criminology, Volume 9 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Aug
An article examined how citizenship policies in Europe affected naturalization rates among immigrants. Favourable citizenship policies positively affected naturalization rates, especially among first-generation immigrants with more than 5 but fewer than 20 years of residence. However, most variation was explained by other factors. Immigrants from poor, politically unstable, and non-European Union countries were more likely to be a citizen of their European country of residence.
Source: Jaap Dronkers and Maarten Peter Vink, 'Explaining access to citizenship in Europe: How citizenship policies affect naturalization rates', European Union Politics, Volume 13 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Aug
A new book examined issues of race and ethnicity in social work practice in Europe.
Source: Charlotte Williams and Mekada Graham, Social Work in Europe: Race and ethnic relations, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Aug
An article examined how macro-societal conditions determined educational inequality between migrants and natives in the western European Union member states. Majoritarian democracies were more effective than consensual democracies in equalizing educational opportunities between immigrants and natives.
Source: Raphaela Schlicht-Schmalzle and Sabrina Moller, 'Macro-political determinants of educational inequality between migrants and natives in western Europe', West European Politics, Volume 35 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Aug
An article examined access to asylum protection in the light of various legal barriers erected by European states.
Source: Cathryn Costello, 'Courting access to asylum in Europe: recent supranational jurisprudence explored', Human Rights Law Review, Volume 12 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Aug
A paper examined the labour market effects of immigration in Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Wage flexibility was substantially higher in the UK compared with Germany and, in particular, Denmark. As a consequence, immigration had a much larger effect on the unemployment rate in Germany and Denmark, while the wage effects were larger in the UK. The elasticity of substitution between native and foreign workers was high in the UK and particularly low in Germany: the pre-existing foreign labour force therefore suffered more from further immigration in Germany than in the UK.
Source: Herbert Brucker, Elke Jahn, and Richard Upward, Migration and Imperfect Labor Markets: Theory and cross-country evidence from Denmark, Germany and the UK, Discussion Paper 2012-20, NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jul
An article examined patterns of residential/locational attainment among immigrants in Europe. Attainment varied considerably across ethnic and cultural groups: immigrants from Asia or Africa as well as Muslims were less likely to reside in neighbourhoods that were perceived to be inhabited mostly by Europeans.
Source: Anya Glikman and Moshe Semyonov, 'Ethnic origin and residential attainment of immigrants in European countries', City & Community, Volume 11 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jul
A series of journal articles examined the problem of statelessness in Europe.
Source: European Journal of Migration and Law, Volume 14 Number 3
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2012-Jul
A report examined labour mobility patterns in Europe and other developed (OECD) countries, and the effects on national labour markets.
Source: Free Movement of Workers and Labour Market Adjustment: Recent experiences from OECD Countries and the European Union, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Jul
An article examined the European Union's recent framing of the Roma as a group in need of special attention. EU institutions would have to find ways to deal with the ambivalence inherent in their 'European' appeals for tackling the problems involved. These calls might enhance co-operation between different levels of government, and persuade member states to adopt new policies that would benefit Roma citizens: but they also provided new material for nationalist politicians with an anti-Roma agenda.
Source: Peter Vermeersch, 'Reframing the Roma: EU initiatives and the politics of reinterpretation', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Volume 38 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jul
A new book examined Muslim integration in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In some areas Muslims were more integrated than popularly assumed: instead of failing to integrate, Muslims found their access to integration blocked in ways that reduced their life-chances.
Source: Pamela Irving Jackson and Peter Doerschler, Benchmarking Muslim Well-Being in Europe: Reducing disparities and polarizations, Policy Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jul
A new book examined the residential segregation of minority-ethnic groups and its links with their integration in western countries. The link between integration and segregation was much less straightforward than was often depicted in academic literature and policy discourses. The process of assimilation into the housing market was highly complex, and differed between and within ethnic groups. The integration pathway not only depended on the characteristics of migrants themselves but also on the reactions of the institutions and the population of the receiving society.
Source: Gideon Bolt, Sule Ozuekren, and Deborah Phillips (eds.), Linking Integration and Residential Segregation, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jun
A new book examined the interaction between European Union-level and national-level policies on the integration of migrants. At EU level, integration issues had gained extensive importance in the framework of the development of an EU migration policy. At national level, discourses about failed integration policies had put those policies under high pressure in political and legislative debates.
Source: Yves Pascouau and Tineke Strik (eds.), Which Integration Policies for Migrants? Interaction between the EU and its member states, Wolf Legal Publishers
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jun
A report documented patterns of violence by far-Right groups in Europe. Although the principal targets were Muslims in western Europe and the Roma in eastern Europe, anti-black racism and anti-Semitism were also on the increase.
Source: Liz Fekete, Pedlars of Hate: The violent impact of the far Right, Institute of Race Relations
Links: Report | IRR press release
Date: 2012-Jun
An article estimated the expected duration of residence of international migration in Europe, defined as the average number of years lived by migrants in the receiving country given period migration and mortality schedules.
Source: Jack DeWaard and James Raymer, 'The temporal dynamics of international migration in Europe: recent trends', Demographic Research, Volume 26
Links: Article
Date: 2012-Jun
An article examined the effect of human values on attitudes towards immigration in Europe. In order to explain cross-country and cross-time differences it used 'group threat' theory, according to which larger inflows of immigration combined with challenging economic conditions imposed a threat on the host society, resulting in more negative attitudes towards immigration.
Source: Eldad Davidov and Bart Meuleman, 'Explaining attitudes towards immigration policies in European countries: the role of human values', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Volume 38 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jun
An article said that demographic projections for the European Union pointed to a growing shortage of young graduates. In theory, selective immigration could fill part of the corresponding labour needs: but there was a very heavy over-representation among immigrants of the lowest level of education. In addition, the ability of immigration to help manage demographic challenges depended more on the architecture of the host countries, in terms of integration and non-discriminatory deployment, than on the characteristics of the immigrants themselves.
Source: 'The EU workforce and future international migration', OECD Employment, Volume 2012 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jun
An article examined possible reasons for the phenomenon whereby immigrants exhibited higher levels of trust in public institutions than natives. It was largely the relatively lower expectations of immigrants from countries with poorer institutional performance that accounted for this difference
Source: Antje Roder and Peter Muhlau, 'Low expectations or different evaluations: what explains immigrants' high levels of trust in host-country institutions?', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Volume 38 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jun
An article said that immigration had varying implications for attitudes about government redistribution in European countries, depending on the level at which immigration was experienced. Although national-level exposure to foreign-born populations tended to have little effect on support for government redistribution, occupational-level exposure to immigration tended to spur such support. These results suggested that immigration directly influenced the politics of inequality – but in more complicated ways than recent scholarship suggested.
Source: Brian Burgoon and Ferry Koster, 'Support for redistribution and the paradox of immigration', Journal of European Social Policy, Volume 22 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jun
A report examined national action plans by European countries for Roma integration, from a children's perspective. It said that a holistic, child-centred perspective was limited or non-existent across all the plans analyzed.
Source: Caroline Sykora, Review of National Roma Integration Strategies, Eurochild
Links: Report | Eurochild press release
Date: 2012-Jun
A new book examined marriage in the context of European migration studies.
Source: Katharine Charsley (ed.), Transnational Marriage: New perspectives from Europe and beyond, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jun
A report examined human rights abuses for migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers attempting to reach Europe from north and west Africa. The desire of some European countries to prevent irregular migration had undermined safe and timely rescues at sea. Desperate people had been left for days while countries argued about where they should be taken, resulting in lost lives.
Source: S.O.S. Europe: Human rights and migration control, Amnesty International UK
Links: Report | Amnesty press release
Date: 2012-Jun
A new book examined the role of transnational migrant organizations in six European countries (including England), and their relationship with the state.
Source: Dirk Halm and Zeynep Sezgin (eds.), Migration and Organized Civil Society: Rethinking national policy, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jun
The European Commission called on European Union member states to implement their national strategies to improve the economic and social integration of the Roma population. More needed to be done to secure sufficient funding for Roma inclusion, putting monitoring mechanisms in place, and fighting discrimination and segregation.
Source: National Roma Integration Strategies: A First Step in the Implementation of the EU Framework, European Commission | The Situation of Roma in 11 EU Member States: Survey results at a glance, European Commission/European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights/United Nations Programme for Development
Links: Communication | Working document | Survey report | European Commission press release | EP Socialist Group press release | ERPC press release
Date: 2012-May
An article examined fears in a number of European countries that foreign, particularly Islamic, family law was becoming entrenched.
Source: Andrea Buchler, 'Islamic family law in Europe? From dichotomies to discourse – or: beyond cultural and religious identity in family law', International Journal of Law in Context, Volume 8 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-May
An article said that the immigrant share in crime figures in Europe varied greatly from country to country. This suggested that the non-national contribution to crime was not associated with immigration as such, but with the contexts in which immigration occurred and features of the immigration inflow. In particular, 'culture, respect for rights and universalism' in the host countries were associated with lower immigrant crime.
Source: Luigi Solivetti, 'Looking for a fair country: features and determinants of immigrants involvement in crime in Europe', Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 51 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-May
A report provided a comparative analysis of how gender-related asylum claims were handled in 9 different European Union member states (including the United Kingdom).
Source: Hana Cheikh Ali, Christel Querton, and Elodie Soulard, Gender-Related Asylum Claims in Europe: Comparative analysis of law, policies and practice focusing on women in nine EU member states, Asylum Aid
Links: Report
Date: 2012-May
A new book examined how states in western Europe dealt with the challenges of migration for their citizenship policies.
Source: Maarten Vink (ed.), Migration and Citizenship Attribution: Politics and policies in western Europe, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-May
A paper examined the overall policy frameworks for the integration of newcomers to 9 European countries (including the United Kingdom). In particular, it investigated the introduction of post- and pre-entry integration measures.
Source: Bernhard Perchinig et al., The National Policy Frames for the Integration of Newcomers: Comparative Report, Working Paper 2, Promoting Sustainable Policies for Integration (PROSINT)/European Commission
Date: 2012-May
A paper examined the linkages between admission policies and integration policies that existed at the European Union level (the migration-integration policy nexus), and the relationship between EU and national-level policy-making in these areas. It focused on measures pertaining to the rights and status of legally-resident third-country nationals.
Source: Alex Balch and Andrew Geddes, Connections Between Admission Policies and Integration Policies at EU-Level and Given Linkages with National Policy Making, Working Paper 1, Promoting Sustainable Policies for Integration (PROSINT)/European Commission
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-May
An article presented a comparative analysis of the role of migrant workers in elderly care in Italy, the Netherlands, and England. It incorporates both private and agency-based employment. In all cases migrant workers worked longer hours and did more night shifts than their native peers. Between-country differences in the importance of migrant workers in social care could be explained primarily by differences in social care policies and care regimes, whereas the impact of immigration policies was more ambiguous. A familialistic care regime induced a 'migrant in the family' model of care – whereas a liberal care regime led to a 'migrant in the market' model of employment, and a social democratic care regime created no particular demand for migrant workers.
Source: Franca van Hooren, 'Varieties of migrant care work: comparing patterns of migrant labour in social care', Journal of European Social Policy, Volume 22 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-May
An article set out a research agenda for tackling health inequalities related to migration and ethnicity in Europe.
Source: Raj Bhopal, 'Research agenda for tackling inequalities related to migration and ethnicity in Europe', Journal of Public Health, Volume 34 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-May
A new book examined the institutional patterns and politics of racial discrimination in Europe. It highlighted an 'incompatibility' between declarations of universal values (such as human rights and democracy) and institutionalized actions that excluded and discriminated against Europeans of immigrant background and against ethnic minorities.
Source: Masoud Kamali, Racial Discrimination: Institutional Patterns and Politics, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-May
A paper evaluated the impact of admission-related integration policies in Europe on the integration of newcomers; analyzed the different logics underlying integration policy-making; and investigated the main target groups of compulsory and voluntary integration measures.
Source: Claudia Lechner and Anna Lutz et al., Study on the Impacts of Admission Policies and Admission-Related Integration Policies, Working Paper 5, Promoting Sustainable Policies for Integration (PROSINT)/European Commission
Date: 2012-May
An article examined the extent to which Muslim migrants in developed (OECD) countries brought their culture with them or (alternatively) acquired the culture of their new home. On average, the basic social values of Muslim migrants fell roughly midway between those prevailing in their country of origin and their country of destination. Muslim migrants did not move to western countries with rigidly fixed attitudes: instead, they gradually absorbed much of the host culture, as assimilation theories suggested.
Source: Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart, 'Muslim integration into western cultures: between origins and destinations', Political Studies, Volume 60 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Apr
A new book examined family-related migration in Europe. There was a need to better understand the diversity of family-related migration and its resulting family forms and practices – in order to question, if not counter, simplistic assumptions about migrant families in public discourses.
Source: Albert Kraler, Eleonore Kofman, Martin Kohli, and Camille Schmoll (eds.), Gender, Generations and the Family in International Migration, Amsterdam University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Apr
The European Union published an action plan designed to prevent and control pressures that derived from illegal immigration as well as abuse of legal migration routes.
Source: EU Action on Migratory Pressures: A Strategic Response, European Union
Links: Action plan
Date: 2012-Apr
An article examined the association of social mobility with common mental disorders in migrant groups. Migrants to higher-income countries who had experienced downward mobility or underemployment appeared more likely to screen positive for common mental disorders, relative to migrants who were upwardly mobile or experienced no changes to their socio-economic position.
Source: Jayati Das-Munshi, Gerard Leavey, Stephen Stansfeld, and Martin Prince, 'Migration, social mobility and common mental disorders: critical review of the literature and meta-analysis', Ethnicity and Health, Volume 17 Issue 1-2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Apr
A paper said that Roma inclusion strategies in Europe had thus far produced limited results in terms of actually improving the situation of Roma, in part due to a lack of multi-sector and integrated approaches. Political and bureaucratic inertia needed to be challenged. Narrow national interests should not prevent the European Union from establishing effective policy-making mechanisms. Policy-makers needed to adopt a holistic and coherent approach to other relevant policy areas for successful Roma inclusion strategies, with appropriate co-ordination and implementation mechanisms.
Source: Roma Inclusion: A progressive and rights-based approach, European Network Against Racism
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Apr
A new book provided an in-depth evaluation of the European Union Directive on race (adopted in 2000) and its effects.
Source: Erica Howard, The EU Race Directive: Developing the protection against racial discrimination within the EU, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Apr
A paper examined the factors that determined the attractiveness of regions in Europe for migrants. Contrary to the literature on the United States of America that had increasingly focused on the role of amenities, research in Europe had tended to highlight the predominance of economic conditions as the main drivers of migration. Differentiating between economic, socio-demographic and amenity-related territorial features, the authors examined the appeal of various regional characteristics for migrants by analyzing net migration data for 133 European regions between 1990 and 2006. It was found that, in addition to economic, human capital-related, and demographic aspects, network effects and – in contrast to existing literature – different types of regional amenities exerted an important influence on the relative attractiveness of sub-national territories across the European Union. Locational choices in Europe might be much more similar to place-based preferences in the USA than originally thought.
Source: Andres Rodriguez-Pose and Tobias Ketterer, Do Local Amenities Affect the Appeal of Regions in Europe for Migrants?, Working Paper 2012/04, IMDEA Social Sciences Institute (Madrid)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Apr
A paper examined the science performance of children (aged 15) of immigrants living in 16 developed (OECD) countries of destination. It considered macro-level factors such as the impact of educational systems and political, economic, and religious features of both countries of origin and destination. Immigrants from countries with an eastern religious affiliation performed better than immigrants from Christian countries, and immigrants from Islamic countries performed worse.
Source: Jaap Dronkers and Manon de Heus, The Educational Performance of Children of Immigrants in Sixteen OECD Countries, Discussion Paper 10/12, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (University College London)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Apr
An article examined the role of labour market competition as a determinant of attitudes toward immigration, drawing on the 2004-05 European Social Survey. Natives who disliked immigrants tended to work in low-immigration jobs. Working in jobs that required high levels of specific human capital led to relatively more pro-immigration attitudes, although this effect was only found for respondents with more than 12 years of schooling. The degree of manual intensity of workers' occupations had a negative effect on pro-immigration views.
Source: Javier Polavieja and Francesc Ortega, 'Labor-market exposure as a determinant of attitudes toward immigration', Labour Economics, Volume 19 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
See also: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
A report said that there was a lack of targeted measures to combat 'anti-Gypsyism' and of meaningful participation by Roma and civil society in the execution of national Roma integration strategies in Europe.
Source: Sophie Kammerer and Shannon Pfohman, Analysis of the National Roma Integration Strategies, European Roma Policy Coalition
Links: Report | ERPC press release
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined the implications of conceptions of citizenship for immigrant populations in Europe. The dominant citizenship model privileged individuality: although it expanded the boundaries and forms of participation in society, it also burdened the individual, rather than the state, with the obligation of ensuring social cohesion and solidarity – disadvantaging not only non-European migrants but also the 'lesser' Europeans.
Source: Yasemin Nuhoglu Soysal, 'Citizenship, immigration, and the European social project: rights and obligations of individuality', British Journal of Sociology, Volume 63 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined the relationship between migration and social integration in Europe. Immigrants were less likely than native populations to get involved in social activities and to trust other people: but this differential became smaller over time. There were significant cross-country differences in immigrants' speed of social integration: integration was more rapidly achieved in 'fair' countries where the levels of income inequality and perceived corruption were lower.
Source: Caroline Berchet and Nicolas Sirven, Cross-Country Performance in Social Integration of Older Migrants: A European perspective, Working Paper 46, Institute for Research and Information in Health Economics (Paris)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
A new book examined how the Islamic population of Europe had altered its cultural, political, and security landscape (focusing on Britain and France).
Source: Robert Leiken, Europe's Angry Muslims, Oxford University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Mar
A report examined the discourse and context of contemporary far-right political parties in the European Union.
Source: Robin Wilson and Paul Hainsworth, Far-Right Parties and Discourse in Europe: A challenge for our times, European Network Against Racism
Links: Report | ENAR press release
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined the system for determining which European Union member state was responsible for examining an application for asylum lodged in the EU by a third-country national, and the impact on the system of the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the case of M.S.S. v Belgium and Greece.
Source: Violeta Moreno-Lax, 'Dismantling the Dublin system: M.S.S. v. Belgium and Greece', European Journal of Migration and Law, Volume 14 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined the key features of migration governance in the European Union, and the diversity of forms of governance among its member states that shaped migrants' rights and experiences – focusing on the labour market. It explained how EU and member state policies worked to jointly construct particular categories of migrant status and pathways for migrants' 'differential integration' across Europe.
Source: Emma Carmel, 'Migration governance in the European Union: a theme and its variations', Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, Volume 20 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined major theories and empirical studies in Europe and the United States relating to the 'welfare magnet' hypothesis – that is, that immigrants were more likely to move to countries with generous welfare systems. Although economic theory predicted that welfare generosity affected the number, composition, and location of immigrants, the empirical evidence was rather mixed. The literature had thus far overlooked the presence of different migration regimes, as well as the possibility of reverse causality between welfare spending and immigration.
Source: Corrado Giulietti and Jackline Wahba, Welfare Migration, Working Paper 18, Centre for Population Change
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined whether generous welfare states in developed (OECD) countries acted as 'magnets' for labour migrants and asylum-seekers. Social democratic welfare states pulled refugees and deterred economic migrants. Corporatist regimes pulled both categories. Liberal welfare states deterred refugees, but did not pull labour migrants. These results challenged the widely held assumption that labour migrants were strongly attracted to liberal welfare states and their business-friendly economies.
Source: Nina Schulzek, The Impact of Welfare Systems on Immigration: An analysis of welfare magnets as a pull-factor for asylum seekers and labour migrants, Working Paper 2012/02, Migration Studies Unit (London School of Economics)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined the factors influencing the health of first- and second-generation immigrants in Europe. Political suppression in the origin country, and living in countries with large numbers of immigrant peers, had a detrimental influence: but originating from predominantly Islamic countries, and good average health among natives in the destination country, appeared to be beneficial. Additionally, the results pointed to health selection mechanisms in migration.
Source: Tim Huijts and Gerbert Kraaykamp, 'Immigrants health in Europe: a cross-classified multilevel approach to examine origin country, destination country, and community effects', International Migration Review, Volume 46 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
An annual report examined the ways in which racism and racial discrimination had affected the lives of racial and ethnic minorities Europe in 2010-11. The economic crisis continued to have a negative impact on migrants and ethnic minorities – creating fears among the general public that incited racist behaviour, and leading to financial cuts that weakened anti-racist groups. The United Kingdom country report said that racism was still a 'significant barrier' in the lives of too many people from minority-ethnic backgrounds.
Source: Jean-Pierre Gauci, Racism in Europe: ENAR Shadow Report 2010-2011, European Network Against Racism | Klara Schmitz, Racism and Related Discriminatory Practices in the UK, European Network Against Racism
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined the key issues that ought to be addressed by the proposed new European Union immigration code (due in 2013). The new code would be an opportunity to revise existing EU legislation in order to enhance standards and procedural rights for migrants, as well as to improve its clarity and coherence.
Source: Steve Peers, 'An EU immigration code: towards a common immigration policy', European Journal of Migration and Law, Volume 14 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
A report examined the extent of the problem of substandard housing for Roma people in Europe, and in particular the situation of Traveller groups, who often had difficulties finding a place in halting sites. Problems faced by the Roma included high overcrowding rates, lack of access to improved forms of sanitation, and high levels of urban segregation thus limiting access to healthcare services. These issues reinforced existing health inequalities among Roma people, including an increased risk of disability, chronic illness, and obesity.
Source: Daniel Molinuevo, Maarten Koomen, and Klara Foti, Living Conditions of the Roma: Substandard housing and health, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined the basis upon which a joint European Union policy on asylum could be justified, and whether superior outcomes could be achieved by harmonization alone or if more centralized policy-making was necessary.
Source: Timothy Hatton, Asylum Policy in the EU: The Case for Deeper Integration, Discussion Paper 2012-16, NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
A report examined the prevailing views on immigrant integration in 17 European countries, how those views were translated into national policy, and what efforts countries were making to monitor the integration processes of migrants and track them over time.
Source: Rob Bijl and Arjen Verweij (eds.), Measuring and Monitoring Immigrant Integration in Europe: Integration policies and monitoring efforts in 17 European countries, Netherlands Institute for Social Research
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined the relationship between immigration and religiosity, comparing Europe and the United States. Immigrants were more religious than the populations in the receiving countries: this, combined with higher fertility rates and also a continued inflow of immigrants, would lead to major changes in the religious landscape on both continents.
Source: Teresa Garcia-Munoz and Shoshana Neuman, Is Religiosity of Immigrants a Bridge or a Buffer in the Process of Integration? A comparative study of Europe and the United States, Discussion Paper 6384, Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined immigrant integration policies in 10 west European states. European Union influence on integration policy was marginal: states granted citizenship rights primarily following national interests and traditions. Governments' political orientation was less important than the influence of populist right-wing parties in combination with the number of voters of immigrant background.
Source: Ruud Koopmans, Ines Michalowski, and Stine Waibel, 'Citizenship rights for immigrants: national political processes and cross-national convergence in western Europe, 1980-2008', American Journal of Sociology, Volume 117 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined the impact of labour migration on unemployment in the context of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. It considered whether intra-EU labour migration correlated with employment/unemployment rates in host or home member states during periods of unsettled growth, and how member states had reacted in terms of restricting or allowing access to their labour markets during the transitional periods.
Source: Elspeth Guild and Sergio Carrera, Labour Migration and Unemployment: What can we learn from EU rules on the free movement of workers?, Working Paper 46, Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A new book examined the interaction between native majorities and Muslim minorities in various European countries, with a view to highlighting different paths of integration of immigrant and native Muslims.
Source: Anna Triandafyllidou (ed.), Muslims in 21st Century Europe: Structural and cultural perspectives, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Feb
A new book examined the causes, consequences, and extent of racial and ethnic discrimination in Europe, and the international and European legal response to it. It considered why anti-discrimination law had failed to deliver, and what could be done about it.
Source: Timo Makkonen, Equal in Law, Unequal in Fact: Racial and ethnic discrimination and the legal response thereto in Europe, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Feb
A paper examined the extent to which European governments could restrict immigrants' rights to engage in cultural or religious practices deemed incompatible with the host society's values without undermining civil liberties. It cast doubt on whether such policies could even be workable: the core cause of European integration problems lay in socio-economic, rather than religious, factors – in particular, poverty and exclusion.
Source: Christian Joppke, The Role of the State in Cultural Integration: Trends, challenges, and ways ahead, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A paper said that the failure of European immigration policies had been their inability to ensure that immigrants acquired and retained work. If immigration was going to work, new immigrants would have to be fully incorporated into society, and most importantly into the economy. Employment, not culture, needed to be the basis of immigration policy, and policy should be designed to get new (and old) immigrants into jobs as soon as possible.
Source: Randall Hansen, The Centrality of Employment in Immigrant Integration in Europe, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A report presented an overview of the human rights situation of Roma and Travellers, covering all 47 member states of the Council of Europe. In many European countries the Roma and Traveller populations were still denied basic human rights and suffered blatant racism. They remained far behind others in terms of educational achievement, employment, housing and health standards, and they had virtually no political representation.
Source: Human Rights of Roma and Travellers in Europe, Council of Europe
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Feb
A report examined four different options for integration and equality of opportunity for all citizens in Europe, focusing on the Muslim population. Some ethnic minorities might wish to assimilate; some to have the equal rights of integrated citizens; some to maintain the cultural differences of their group identities; and some to be free to choose cosmopolitan mixed identities. All of these approaches had value, and if citizens were to have not just rights but a sense of belonging to society governments should not seek to impose one particular option.
Source: Tariq Modood, Post-Immigration Difference and Integration: The case of Muslims in western Europe, British Academy
Links: Report | British Academy press release | Bristol University press release
Date: 2012-Feb
An article examined the main ethno-national and cultural expressions of complex diversity in Europe. Diversity was recurrently celebrated in Europe's official political discourse: but the term tended to be used in a superficial and biased way, which linked it to the dynamics of the market rather than to a reflective identity politics.
Source: Peter Kraus, 'The politics of complex diversity: a European perspective', Ethnicities, Volume 12 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Feb
A paper examined the contribution 'game' resulting from the vagueness of the Lisbon Treaty over how European Union member states should share the financial cost of enforcing the European border against immigration.
Source: Giuseppe Russo and Luigi Senatore, Who Contributes? A strategic approach to a European immigration policy, Working Paper 306, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (Naples)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A paper challenged the view that multiculturalism had been a failure in European countries: such a view mischaracterized the nature of the experiments in multiculturalism that had been undertaken, exaggerated the extent to which they had been abandoned, and misidentified both the genuine difficulties and limitations that they had encountered and the options for addressing those problems.
Source: Will Kymlicka, Multiculturalism: Success, Failure, and the Future, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A think-tank report examined immigration and integration policies in countries across the European Union. It said that the EU should work with member states to increase the employment rate of legal immigrants. Member states should increase efforts to implement EU legislation on preventing racial discrimination in the workplace and providing equal access to services. Education for immigrants needed to be tackled, including the issues of educational attainment, leaving school early, and language proficiency.
Source: Vit Novotny (ed.), Opening the Door? Immigration and integration in the European Union, Centre for European Studies (Brussels)
Date: 2012-Feb
An article examined the relative importance of economic and 'compositional' concerns in driving opinions about immigration policy in European countries. Compositional concerns (changes in the composition of the local population that threatened the amenities that natives derived from their neighbourhoods, schools, and workplaces) were 2-5 times more important in explaining variation in individual attitudes toward immigration policy than concerns over wages and taxes.
Source: David Card, Christian Dustmann, and Ian Preston, 'Immigration, wages, and compositional amenities', Journal of European Economic Association, Volume 10 Issue 1
Links: Abstract | UCL press release
Date: 2012-Feb
A paper summarized the literature on the evaluation of immigration policies in European and other developed countries.
Source: Ulf Rinne, The Evaluation of Immigration Policies, Discussion Paper 6369, Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A new book examined the accommodation of migrant organizations in European cities, and the factors that affected this process. It looked at the interplay of immigration regime, national integration policy, and local responses.
Source: Margit Fauser, Migrants and Cities: The accommodation of migrant organizations in Europe, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper said that the effectiveness of European Union policies in regulating migration should not be overestimated. Migration flows were often shaped by 'push factors' that were often beyond the direct control of policy-makers in receiving countries.
Source: Eiko Thielemann, How Effective Are Migration and Non-Migration Policies that Affect Forced Migration?, Working Paper 2011/14, Migration Studies Unit (London School of Economics)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
An article examined the relationship between Roma and the legal culture in European countries. Several mechanisms that reinforced discrimination still flourished.
Source: Alessandro Simoni, 'Roma and legal culture: roots and old and new faces of a complex equality issue', European Anti-Discrimination Law Review, Issue 13
Links: Article
Date: 2012-Jan
Two linked papers described the development of a model designed to overcome the limitations of the various data sources on migration in Europe.
Source: James Raymer, Jonathan Forster, Peter Smith, Jakub Bijak, and Arkadiusz Wisniowski, Integrated Modelling of European Migration: Background, specification and results, Discussion Paper 2012-04, NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe) | Arkadiusz Wisniowski, Nico Keilman, Jakub Bijak, Solveig Christiansen, Jonathan Forster, Peter Smith, and James Raymer, Augmenting Migration Statistics with Expert Knowledge, Discussion Paper 2012-05, NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe)
Date: 2012-Jan
A new book examined the security threats, both new and traditional, confronting Europe – including new forms of nationalism; ethnic conflict and civil war; information technology; biological and chemical warfare; resource conflicts; pandemics; mass migrations; transnational terrorism; and environmental dangers.
Source: Peter Burgess and Serge Gutwirth, A Threat Against Europe: Security, migration and integration , Institute for European Studies
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper presented an empirical, econometric analysis of the impact of migration on European Union regions in the period 2000-2007. Although migration had no statistical impact on regional unemployment, it did have a significant impact on both per capita national income and productivity.
Source: Peter Huber and Gabriele Tondl, Migration and Regional Convergence in the European Union, Working Paper 419/2012, Austrian Institute of Economic Research
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
An article examined the extent to which European Union member states were using common standards in recognizing asylum-seekers; and the extent to which the responsibilities for asylum applications, acceptances, and refugee populations were equally shared among the member states, taking into account population size and gross domestic product.
Source: Luc Bovens, Chlump Chatkupt, and Laura Smead, 'Measuring common standards and equal responsibility-sharing in EU asylum outcome data', European Union Politics, Volume 13 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jan
A report examined progress in the application of the European Union directive on racial equality. All member states had a legislative framework in place prohibiting racial or ethnic discrimination, and one or more 'equality bodies' with responsibility for the promotion of equality on the grounds of race and ethnicity.
Source: The Racial Equality Directive: Application and Challenges, Fundamental Rights Agency (European Commission)
Links: Report | FRA press release
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper examined the incidence and the nature of integration conditions (such as citizenship tests) applied to immigrants throughout the European Union. Liberal concepts of integration were being widely transformed in a restrictive direction and into instruments of migration control.
Source: Daniel Bagameri, Changing Integration Policy Towards Third-Country Nationals in the European Union: Language and knowledge of society tests in the member states, Working Paper 2011/13, Migration Studies Unit (London School of Economics)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
A study examined the main trends in the situation of migrants in the European Union with regard to social assistance and access to social services; the main determinants of these trends; and the mutual interaction of migration policies and broadly defined social assistance policies.
Source: Klaus Zimmermann, Martin Kahanec, Corrado Giulietti, Martin Guzi, Alan Barrett, and Bertrand Maitre, Study on Active Inclusion of Migrants: Final Report, European Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper examined the likely consequences of extended jurisdiction for the European Court of Justice in relation to European Union migration policies.
Source: Marie De Somer, Enhanced Competences for the European Court of Justice: 'Re-shuffling' the dynamics of EU migration policy-making?, Working Paper 2012/01, Migration Studies Unit (London School of Economics)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
A report examined the legislation and practices in 31 European countries for returning children to their own countries if they were found not to need protection in Europe. Contacts with the countries of return were very scarce and often limited to issuing travel documents. The general absence of clear transnational procedures between returning countries and countries of origin and return needed to be addressed.
Source: Comparative Study on Practices in the Field of Return of Minors, European Commission
Links: Report | Refugee Council press release
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper said that the European Union had been slow to develop clear competences on the rights of national minority groups: but there were elements in recent legal and policy developments that pointed toward progress on the issue.
Source: Tamara Jovanovic, National Minority Groups in Post-Lisbon Europe: The presence of Europeanisation and transnational human rights in one policy field, Working Paper 56, European Centre for Minority Issues
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper examined the macroeconomic consequences of the diversion of migration flows away from Germany towards the United Kingdom in the course of the European Union's eastern enlargement. Enlargement had increased the national income per capita in the UK substantially: but the diversion of migration flows towards the UK had reduced wage gains and the decline in unemployment there.
Source: Timo Baas and Herbert Brucker, The Macroeconomic Consequences of Migration Diversion: Evidence for Germany and the UK, Discussion Paper 2012-10, NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper examined immigrants' demand for social assistance and services in the European Union, and identified the key barriers to social and labour market inclusion. Barriers included: language and human capital gaps, a lack of recognition of foreign qualifications, discrimination, non-transparent labour markets, and institutional barriers such as legal restrictions for foreign citizens. Exclusion from higher education, housing, and financial services aggravated these barriers. Changes in the areas of salaried employment, education, social insurance, mobility, and attitudes were seen as most desired by members of ethnic minorities.
Source: Martin Kahanec, Anna Myunghee Kim, and Klaus Zimmermann, Pitfalls of Immigrant Inclusion into the European Welfare State, Discussion Paper 6260, Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
An article examined the European Union's policy towards Roma communities. Thus far EU policy had failed to address the complex issues facing Roma, owing to inadequate policy interventions.
Source: Aidan McGarry, 'The dilemma of the European Union s Roma policy', Critical Social Policy, Volume 32 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Jan
A paper examined the labour market effects of net immigration and emigration during the 1990s in all developed (OECD) countries. Immigration was found to have had a positive effect on the wages of less-educated natives. It also increased (or left unchanged) average native wages and had a positive (or no effect) on native employment. By contrast, emigration had a negative effect on the wages of less-educated native workers and it contributed to an increase in within-country inequality in all OECD countries. These results also held true when considering preliminary measures of more recent immigration flows for the period 2000-2007.
Source: Frederic Docquier, Caglar Ozden, and Giovanni Peri, The Labor Market Effects of Immigration and Emigration in OECD Countries, Discussion Paper 6258, Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Jan
