Rethinking Integration: The Capabilities Approach in Migration Studies

Recent debates have intensified the ongoing criticism of the concept of integration in the field of migration studies. Despite the emergence of alternative concepts such as de-migranticization, de-nationalism, and de-colonializing migration studies, none have made a successful transition from theory to practical application to replace integration. As a result, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers continue to rely on integration as a benchmark to assess the diverse life trajectories of migrants and their descendants in comparison to native populations, shaping policies aimed at addressing disparities. In this paper I use an interdisciplinary perspective to bridge this gap by proposing the capabilities approach as a viable alternative to the traditional integration paradigm. First, I examine the scientific concerns scholars have raised over decades, highlighting integration as an ill-defined and underdeveloped concept with ambiguous dimensions. I then discuss more recent normative and epistemological concerns that question the directionality of integration and its underlying nationalist and colonialist foundations. Drawing from my own research, I illustrate how these conceptual flaws become even more conspicuous when the integration paradigm is applied to the descendants of migrants. Finally, I offer an empirical demonstration of the applicability of the capabilities approach in migration studies through a qualitative study I conducted with migrant descendants in Barcelona, Spain.