Emigration States in the Global Governance of Migration
Principal Investigator: Dr Alan Gamlen
The primary purpose of this ESRC-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship is to refine and disseminate research on the role of emigration states in global migration governance.
Migration research has focused almost entirely on immigration: it examines the policies of migrant receiving states, regarding countries of origin as passive in migration politics and governance. Yet, as this research reveals, emigration states also matter.
Research questions
The central questions of the research are, How do nation-states deal with emigrants? Why do they do so in particular ways? And how should they do so better?
The research examines a broad range of overlooked interactions between emigration states and emigrant ‘diasporas’, including:
- rhetorics of ‘engaging the diaspora’
- attempts to count expatriates as part of the ‘national’ population
- the creation of bureaucratic units for the diaspora
- consular service
- extra-territorial voting rights and behaviour
- international agreements on social security, taxation and extradition
- attempts to win the loyalties of affluent and influential expatriates.
The research demonstrates that such initiatives are surprisingly widespread, and are significant aspects of migration policy and governance.
By examining how and why initiatives like these are implemented, the research helps to understand, explain, and improve diaspora policy making.
The project is focused on disseminating research findings and engaging with groups who may be able to benefit from them - including academics, policy makers in the UK and further afield, and community stakeholders such as diaspora groups and charities.
