Selected Studies in International Migration and Immigrant Incorporation (IMISCOE Textbooks)
Martiniello, Marco and Rath, Jan (eds.)
Amsterdam University Press,
2010
9789089641601 (pb)
Selected Studies in International Migration and Immigrant Incorporation, examines European migration and ethnic studies and highlights a number of academic publications. The book is organised in 25 chapters, sub-divided into three thematic sections. Chapters 1 to 7 deal with the migration process and its related policies. Chapters 8 to 17 discuss various aspects of incorporating and assimilating migrants into their new host society. Chapters 18 to 25 bring together works dedicated to conceptual issues. A central concern of this book is the implementation of a rigorous comparative multidisciplinary research programme in Europe within a research network called International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion in Europe (IMISCOE). IMISCOE comprises over 500 European researchers in the areas of economics, social sciences, the humanities and law studying the themes of international migration, integration and social cohesion. I have selected one chapter from each section to give a flavour of the book.
Chapter two compares immigration patterns and policies in a number of major migrant receiving countries e.g. Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain, West Germany and Switzerland. In 1983, more than 75% (four million) of foreign nationals lived in just three European countries, France (immigrants mainly from Spain and Portugal), West-Germany (immigrants have mainly from Yugoslavia and Turkey) and the UK (mainly from the West Indies, India and Pakistan). Switzerland with its mainly Italian immigrants had the highest percentage of foreign nationals within its borders. Sweden's immigrants have mainly come from other Nordic countries and immigrants from the Netherlands mainly from North Africa. The study also revealed that all these host countries have developed immigration policies (for example, passport exemption, immigration control and active recruitment of foreign workers) based on their individual experiences to maintain immigration issues.
Chapter sixteen outlines political dynamics with in 'the city' and compares case studies of Moroccan communities in three mid-sized cities in Belgium (Liege), the Netherlands (Utrecht) and France (Lille). Moroccan immigrants (workers and students) have played a key role in developing their union, energies and resources during 1970s and 1980s. The study reveals that immigrant workers in these three countries were granted access to various social and civil rights but had no access to political rights in the 1970s. It is interesting to see that most European host countries have now established a number of procedures and institutions to increase their political participation and representation. Moreover, social scientists have highlighted the importance of the liberalisation of foreigners' rights of association to political participatory opportunities and availability into immigrant communities. Similarly, the study concludes that local authorities of the three cities under review adopted policies of sustained political communication with and funding of ethnic and multiethnic associations.
Chapter 22 analyses the issues of migration and racism in the states of Western Europe. Bovenkerk, Miles and Verbunt, social scientists with multi-disciplinary backgrounds explain that post-1945, migrants were subject to 'hostility' and 'resistance' form their host countries, often in a racist context. Clear efforts were made to stop or 'control' immigration, and demand for the withdrawal of their political and social rights. Similarly, there were considerable differences with respect to the content, timing and progress of various forms of anti-immigrant sentiment.
Selected Studies in International Migration and Immigrant Incorporation is an accessible book that compiles information systematically. Martiniello and Rath bring together scholars who compare European immigration policy, racism in Europe and migration in a fairly easy to understand way. This book would be especially suited to students and scholars of migration-related subjects and would be a great introductory resource for new researchers early on in their studies.
Pratik Adhikary
Bournemouth University
