Migration and mobility, Copenhagen, 14-18 September 2009 14-09-2009 Introduction Globalization has made international migration easier in many respects. The
cost of travel has dropped; information about opportunities in destination
countries has increased; the incentives to migrate are high, partly as a result
of such increased information flows. These incentives are shared by those with
the skills that are sought by destination countries as well as by those who do
not possess them, or who migrate for other reasons, for instance as refugees,
asylum-seekers, or family dependents. As a result of such different push-pull
dynamics between sending and receiving countries, we see both “legal” and
“illegal” migration flows throughout the world.
Description
On balance, more countries are now accepting migrants, most often for
temporary work, but sometimes for permanent residence. Not that long ago many
countries in the West denied the need for immigration. This sentiment has now
largely passed as labour supplies in these countries are being stressed by
retirements and low fertility rates. Migrants are now being seen as providing
part of the answer to how countries can maintain their economic prosperity.
However, migration not only introduces new workers into a labour force but
also new people into a society. The globalization of migration means that
newcomers to our societies are often from culturally, ethnically, and racially
diverse backgrounds and long-term migration means that our cities are becoming
more diverse.
How a destination society responds to such important demographic and cultural
change will depend on its history, its local culture, its own experiences to
date with the presence of immigrants, and its political will to create
favourable conditions for the integration and participation of newcomers. Some
policy frameworks are more, others less liable to result in the inclusion of
immigrants.
One might think that a society that accepts the value of immigration would at
the same time accept the value of including its newcomers as members and
citizens. However, a look at the policy responses of many countries suggests
that this is not necessarily so. In fact, there seems to be a growing
convergence among political regimes responding to ethnic and cultural
differences toward attempting to minimize the visibility of minorities and the
societal impact of ethnic diversity.
In addition, access – both to national spaces and political and social
participation – is made more difficult for certain groups, and demands for
acculturation on immigrants, descendants, and national minorities are stepped
up. In some cases, such exclusionary and monocultural policies might be
responses to popular opinion; in other cases, they may be more principled,
perhaps rooted in a desire to protect a national identity or a long-standing set
of national traditions.
This conference will examine the role of policy in determining the outcomes
of immigration and the presence of immigrants in, as well as their contribution
to different societies. It will consider the intended societal outcomes, the
most effective ways to achieve these outcomes, and the influences that
government policy and political leadership can bring to bear against a
background of historical tradition and societal norms. In addition, it will
consider these factors within the context of globalization, high mobility, and
shifting mobility patterns, and the constraints that they and other factors
exert on the efficacy of policy interventions.
The outcomes of the conference should be a better understanding of the
varying constraints and opportunities under which governments operate, as well
as the implications for immigrants and societies overall of excluding immigrants
or denying the cultural and ethnic differences which they bring with them. It
will help us to think through the effects of our histories, the impact of
globalization and high mobility, and the most adequate responses to growing
diversity. Finally, it will also give us a better practical understanding of
what we need to do to achieve more prosperous, peaceable, and equitable
societies.
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