Political Economy and Migration Policy

The disciplines of economics and political science have a good deal to offer each other in the study of migration policy, but economists have until recently mostly ignored the ways in which politics constrain migration markets, and political scientists—although giving considerable credence to economic aspects of migration—have not always pursued these matters systematically. We consider economic ideas drawn from theories of labour markets, international trade and public finance and link them to political analyses stressing the role of states, institutions and interest groups. A review of literature incorporating these perspectives suggests the promise of a political economy of migration, but also indicates the considerable work that remains.