Managing Labour Migration in Europe ─ Ideas, Knowledge and Policy Change

Labour migration policies in European countries have exhibited intensive change in the early part of the twenty-first century while the subject continues to be a hot political topic with global resonance. This book provides an authoritative account of policy change over labour migration in Europe during this new era of governance. It addresses the observation that we often know very little about the flow of ideas, and what actually drives politicians and policymakers to make decisions about immigration. It reveals the impacts, of ideas and knowledge on policy change in two of the major labour importing countries in the EU: the UK and Spain.

Understanding the so-called `war of ideas' in the political arena and accounting for policy change are among the key challenges for political science. This important research shows why, when, how and where policy frames on labour migration shift and change. The work provides evidence of an increasing but variegated role for expertise in policy formation and demonstrates how, and in what ways, national modes of policymaking intervene to resist or facilitate the adoption of new ideas. This volume will have important implications for debates about the contemporary governance of labour migration in Europe and the impact of an emergent EU migration regime in the context of a globalising labour market. The key findings offer a deeper understanding of the linkages between those engaged in policymaking and the kinds of communities that produce usable Knowledge.

This book will be essential reading for academics, practitioners and students of migration and national policy processes in the EU. It will be an invaluable resource for individuals and organisations active in the immigration policy community, as well as the wider network of NGOs, think tanks and interest groups.

Alex Balch is ESRC Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Politics at Sheffield University