Immigration, Security, and the Liberal State: The Politics of Migration Regulation in Europe and the United States

Contextualizing the regulation of human mobility in a new security framework, this book offers an original perspective on the dominant mode of politics and evolving norms shaping the immigration policies of contemporary liberal states. In doing so, the authors challenge existing paradigms that privilege economic and cultural factors over new security ones in explaining the critical institutional and normative changes in migration management, from the early post-WWII through the post-Cold War era. Drawing on evidence from multiple sources, including media and elite discourse, policy tracking, party manifesto data and public opinion across Europe and the US, the book exposes the restrictive nature of immigration politics and policies when immigration is framed as a security threat, and considers its implications for civil liberties. Informed by a rich breadth of scholarly sub-disciplines, the findings contribute both empirically and theoretically to the literatures on international migration, security and public opinion.‘Lahav and Messina’s multi-method research design effectively synthesizes significant empirical data derived from a variety of longitudinal and cross-national public opinion surveys, as well as media content analyses and demographic data. The product of this synthesis is a novel insight into the linkage between migration and security in the liberal state. -Ariane Chebel d'Appollonia - Professor, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University, Newark Shows how liberal states reconcile the migration trilemma which has pitted markets, rights and security against each other since 9/11. Contextualizing the regulation of human mobility in a new security framework, this book offers an original perspective on the dominant mode of politics and evolving norms shaping the immigration policies of contemporary liberal states. In doing so, the authors challenge existing paradigms that privilege economic and cultural factors over new security ones in explaining the critical institutional and normative changes in migration management, from the early post-WWII through the post-Cold War era. Drawing on evidence from multiple sources, including media and elite discourse, policy tracking, party manifesto data and public opinion across Europe and the US, the book exposes the restrictive nature of immigration politics and policies when immigration is framed as a security threat, and considers its implications for civil liberties. Informed by a rich breadth of scholarly sub-disciplines, the findings contribute both empirically and theoretically to the literatures on international migration, security and public opinion. Cover Immigration, Security, and the Liberal State Dedication Contents Figures Tables Preface and Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: The Migration Trilemma 2. Framing and Reframing Immigration: The Politics of (In)Security 3. Expanding the Migration Policy Playing Field: Enlisting the Cooperation of Non-central State Actors 4. Popular Attitudes towards Immigration Regulation 5. Immigration and the Politics of Threat 6. Securitizing and Politicizing Immigration: Political Party Competition in Spain, UK, and the US 7. Conclusions: Liberalism Compromised? References Index "Provides a framework by which to assess the ability of liberal democratic states to manage migration in a rapidly changing geo-political environment. This book will appeal to students and scholars of comparative political behaviour, immigration, public opinion, public policy, international relations, international security and area studies"-- Provided by publisher