Revisiting the Link Between Migration and Social Protection in Europe: Policy Transformations and Migrants’ Experiences

Abstract

This panel aims to address the recent transformations of welfare policies towards EU and non-EU immigrants in Europe and their impact on migrants’ lives. Following the financial crisis and the so-called “refugee crisis”, several European democracies have started to witness fierce debates on the connection between migration and welfare systems. However, the way in which this politicisation of migrants’ access to social protection translated into policy changes and how these changes in welfare systems affect migrants’ lives have not been sufficiently explored so far. This panel aims to fill this gap by focusing on two aspects. Firstly, we seek to explore how European welfare systems are adjusting to increased mobility by paying particular attention to the transformation of social protection policies towards immigrants from a comparative perspective. Secondly, we aim to discuss migrants’ individual experiences in terms of accessing social protection in their home and host countries, thus trying to identify the specific role that formal welfare entitlements play in migrant social protection strategies.