International Migration: Actors, Policies, and Practices

In a context of growing international mobility, the topics of migration governance and migrants’ integration have become key areas of concern across home, transit and host countries. Recent events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and the outbreak of humanitarian crises in different world regions have further increased the salience of migration in political and societal debates. In this context, different actors (public authorities, trade unions, civil society organizations, etc.) operating at different levels of government (national, sub-national, supranational) play an active role in shaping migration policy-making nationally or trans-nationally. In parallel, an increasingly rich academic debate has emerged around the formulation, implementation and evaluation of migration and integration policies. This also raises concerns about the effect of such policies on migrants’ lives and decisions of settlement or return. This Section aims to bring together different contributions that critically discuss the shifting dynamics of international migration politics, policies and practices from a comparative perspective. Following an interdisciplinary approach and diverse methodological viewpoints, the Section welcomes Panels and Papers that focus on the broad array of social, economic, political and/or legal facets of immigration, emigration, inclusion or return. Panel and Paper proposals can focus on different themes related to international migration, including: ▪️ The recent transformations of policies aiming to regulate immigration and immigrants’ inclusion in residence countries at the national and sub-national levels ▪️ The evolution of diaspora policies from a comparative perspective ▪️ The role of governmental and non-governmental actors in shaping policy agendas on migration and in the implementation of immigration, inclusion, or diaspora policies ▪️ New perspectives on migrants’ incorporation into the labour market ▪️ Policies and practices defining migrants’ access to basic services in areas such as healthcare, housing, or education ▪️ The link between migration policy-making and welfare regulations in origin/residence countries ▪️ Shifting patterns of political participation, representation and claims-making across borders ▪️ New dynamics in migrants’ access to citizenship ▪️ Public opinion towards immigration and emigration ▪️ The salience of immigration or emigration in political debates ▪️ Policy measures for the protection and inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers ▪️ Narratives of belonging in diverse societies ▪️ The influence of supranational actors and international organisations in migration management in sending, transit, and destination countries.