Immigration and Regional Integration in a Globalizing World

Myths and Truths about Migration

Immigration and Regional Integration in a Globalizing World, Christopher White makes an important contribution to the immigration debate by investigating the relationship between two of the most important forces shaping the current international system—international migration and regional integration. The ability to manage the movement of people across national borders is considered one of the primary responsibilities of the nation-state, but international migration always involves more than one country. The world has become increasingly globalized and international migration has followed suit. The vast majority of states have come to realize that successful and effective migration policies involve cooperation and coordination with other states, sometimes by choice and sometimes by necessity. However, these efforts, both regionally and globally, are often highly contentious and result in conflict internally and externally. Managing migration and integration are key concerns for governments in nearly every region of the world and will take on even greater importance as globalization and technological advances shrink distances and bring us closer together. White uses an evidence-based approach to understanding immigration and economic integration to debunk the “migration myth” that sees a strong connection between these two factors. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, the main argument is that there is no substantial relationship between the international migration and regional integration, despite the political rhetoric that generates enormous fear and anxiety surrounding these issues. Instead of conflating them, countries can consider the benefits of integration policies without worrying about migration and can consider migration policies without concern for integration. This book is for anyone concerned about the issue of immigration and its relationship to trade liberalization and regional integration.