Migrant Integration Policy: a comparative global perspective

Abstract: 

Migrant integration and integration policies have been the subject of extensive research for several decades. Since the influential typologies developed in the 1990s, scholars have debated whether distinct national models of integration can be identified. Yet, despite important theoretical and empirical advances, this debate has remained largely centred on Western countries. This talk broadens the perspective by examining migrant integration policies from a global and comparative perspective. Drawing on the latest available data from the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), it compares integration policy frameworks across 56 countries on six continents, covering eight key areas including labour market access, education, health, and political participation.  The talk will first highlight three main dimensions along which integration policies differ across countries. It will then show how different combinations of these dimensions give rise to four broad approaches to migrant integration. By moving beyond the traditional Western focus, the talk offers a…