Table Of ContentTHE POLITICISATION
OF MIGRATION
Why are migration policies sometimes heavily contested and high on the political
agenda? And why do they, at other moments and in other countries, hardly lead to
much public debate? The entrance and settlement of migrants in Western Europe
has prompted various political reactions. In some countries anti-immigration par-
ties have gained substantial public support while in others migration policies have
been hardly controversial.
The Politicisation of Migration examines the differences between seven Western
European countries by developing a conceptual framework to empirically explain pat-
terns of politicisation and de-politicisation. The analyses show that over the past decade
immigration has been increasingly defined in socio-cultural terms and that it has been
receiving less political attention since the economic crisis started in 2007. This book also
looks at the role of mainstream parties and political actors in the process of politicisa-
tion, and demonstrates how the role of ‘challengers’ is more limited than often assumed.
Contributing to literatures on migration, party politics and agenda-setting, the book
will be of interest to students and scholars in the fields of politics and migration studies.
Wouter van der Brug is Professor of Political Science at the University of
Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Gianni D’Amato is Professor of Migration and Citizenship Studies, University of
Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Joost Berkhout is Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam, the
Netherlands.
Didier Ruedin is a researcher at the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population
Studies at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy
Series Editors: Roger Eatwell, University of Bath, and Matthew
Goodwin, University of Nottingham.
Founding Series Editors: Roger Eatwell, University of Bath,
and Cas Mudde, University of Antwerp-UFSIA.
This new series encompasses academic studies within the broad fields of ‘extremism’
and ‘democracy’. These topics have traditionally been considered largely in isola-
tion by academics. A key focus of the series, therefore, is the (inter-)relation between
extremism and democracy. Works will seek to answer questions such as to what
extent ‘extremist’ groups pose a major threat to democratic parties, or how democ-
racy can respond to extremism without undermining its own democratic credentials.
The books encompass two strands:
Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy includes books with an introduc-
tory and broad focus which are aimed at students and teachers. These books will be
available in hardback and paperback. Titles include:
Understanding Terrorism in The New Extremism in
America 21st Century Britain
From the Klan to al Qaeda Edited by Roger Eatwell and Matthew
Christopher Hewitt Goodwin
Fascism and the New British Fascism
Extreme Right Rise of the British National Party
Roger Eatwell Matthew Goodwin
Racist Extremism in Central and The End of Terrorism?
Eastern Europe Leonard Weinberg
Edited by Cas Mudde
Mapping the Extreme Right in
Political Parties and Terrorist Groups Contemporary Europe
(2nd Edition) From local to transnational
Leonard Weinberg, Ami Pedahzur and Edited by Andrea Mammone, Emmanuel
Arie Perliger Godin and Brian Jenkins
Varieties of Right-Wing Edited by Sabine von Mering and
Extremism in Europe Timothy Wyman McCarty
Edited by Andrea Mammone,
Emmanuel Godin and Brian Jenkins Revolt on the Right
Explaining support for the radical
Right-Wing Radicalism Today right in Britain
Perspectives from Europe and the US Robert Ford and Matthew Goodwin
Routledge Research in Extremism and Democracy offers a forum for innovative new
research intended for a more specialist readership. These books will be in hardback
only. Titles include:
1 Uncivil Society? 8 Extreme Right Activists in
Contentious politics in post- Europe
Communist Europe Through the magnifying glass
Edited by Petr Kopecky and Cas Bert Klandermans and Nonna Mayer
Mudde
9 Ecological Politics and
2 Political Parties and Terrorist Democratic Theory
Groups Mathew Humphrey
Leonard Weinberg and Ami
Pedahzur 10 Reinventing the Italian Right
Territorial politics, populism and
3 Western Democracies ‘post-Fascism’
and the New Extreme Right Carlo Ruzza and Stefano Fella
Challenge
Edited by Roger Eatwell and Cas 11 Political Extremes
Mudde An investigation into the history of
terms and concepts from antiquity
4 Confronting Right Wing to the present
Extremism and Terrorism in the Uwe Backes
USA
George Michael 12 The Populist Radical Right in
Poland
5 Anti-Political Establishment The patriots
Parties Rafal Pankowski
A comparative analysis
Amir Abedi 13 Social and Political Thought of
Julius Evola
6 American Extremism Paul Furlong
History, politics and
the militia 14 Radical Left Parties in Europe
D. J. Mulloy Luke March
7 The Scope of Tolerance 15 Counterterrorism in Turkey
Studies on the costs of free Policy choices and policy effects
expression and freedom of the toward the Kurdistan Workers’
press Party (PKK)
Raphael Cohen-Almagor Mustafa Cos¸ar Ünal
16 Class Politics and the Radical 22 Extreme Right Parties in
Right Scandinavia
Edited by Jens Rydgren Anders Widfeldt
17 Rethinking the French New 23 Catholicism and
Right Nationalism
Alternatives to modernity Changing nature of
Tamir Bar-On party politics
Madalena Meyer Resende
18 Ending Terrorism in Italy
Anna Bull and Philip Cooke 24 Populists in Power
Daniele Albertazzi and Duncan
19 Politics of Eugenics McDonnell
Productionism, population, and
national welfare 25 The Politicisation of
Alberto Spektorowski and Liza Saban Migration
Edited by Wouter van der Brug,
20 Democratic Extremism in Theory Gianni D’Amato, Joost Berkhout and
and Practice Didier Ruedin
Power to the people
Paul Lucardie 26 Transforming the
Transformation?
21 Populism in Western Europe The East European radical right in
Comparing Belgium, Germany the political process
and the Netherlands Edited by Michael
Teun Pauwels Minkenberg
THE POLITICISATION
OF MIGRATION
Edited by Wouter van der Brug, Gianni
D’Amato, Joost Berkhout and Didier Ruedin
Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group
NEW YORK LONDON
First published 2015
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2015 selection and editorial material, Wouter van der Brug,
Gianni D’Amato, Joost Berkhout and Didier Ruedin; individual
chapters, the contributors
The right of the editors to be identified as authors of the editorial
material, and of the contributors for their individual chapters,
has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
The politicisation of migration / edited by Wouter van der Brug,
Gianni D’Amato, Joost Berkhout and Didier Ruedin.
pages cm.—(Routledge studies in extremism and democracy ; 25)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Europe—Emigration and immigration–Political aspects.
2. Europe—Emigration and immigration—Government policy.
3. Europe—Emigration and immigration—Political aspects—Case
studies. 4. Europe—Emigration and immigration—Government
policy—Case studies. I. Brug, Wouter van der, editor of
compilation, author. II. Title: Politicization of migration.
JV7590.P635 2015
325.4—dc23
2014035563
ISBN: 978-1-138-85277-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-85279-2 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-72330-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by Book Now Ltd, London
CONTENTS
List of figures ix
List of tables xi
Preface xiii
1 A framework for studying the politicisation of immigration 1
Wouter van der Brug, Gianni D’Amato, Joost Berkhout and
Didier Ruedin
2 Research design 19
Joost Berkhout, Didier Ruedin, Wouter van der Brug and
Gianni D’Amato
3 The politicisation of immigration in Austria 31
Sarah Meyer and Sieglinde Rosenberger
4 The politicisation of immigration in Belgium 52
Guido Vangoidsenhoven and Jean-Benoit Pilet
5 The politicisation of immigration in Ireland 75
Kevin Cunningham
6 The politicisation of immigration in the Netherlands 97
Joost Berkhout, Laura Sudulich and Wouter van der Brug
7 The politicisation of immigration in Spain 119
Virginia Ros and Laura Morales
viii Contents
8 The politicisation of immigration in Switzerland:
The importance of direct democracy 140
Didier Ruedin and Gianni D’Amato
9 The politicisation of immigration in Britain 159
João Carvalho, Roger Eatwell and Daniel Wunderlich
10 Cross-country comparisons and conclusions 179
Wouter van der Brug, Didier Ruedin, Joost Berkhout and
Kevin Cunningham
Technical Appendix 197
Bibliography 207
Index 227
FIGURES
1.1 Typology of politics towards a topic 7
2.1 Foreign-born population 23
2.2 Percentage of foreign-born population 23
2.3 Public opinion: ‘Immigration bad for the economy’ 24
2.4 Public opinion: Immigration as one of the three
most important issues 25
3.1 Salience of immigration and integration in Austria, 1995–2009 34
3.2 Developments of polarisation and tone in Austria, 1995–2009 36
3.3 Salience and polarisation in Austria, 1995–2009 37
3.4 Proportion of claims by type of claims-maker,
1995–2009 (Austria) 38
3.5 Frames used in claims on immigration and integration in
Austria, 1995–2009 42
4.1 Salience of immigration and integration in Belgium, 1995–2009 57
4.2 Developments of polarisation and tone in Belgium, 1995–2009 59
4.3 Salience and polarisation in Belgium, 1995–2009 60
4.4 Proportion of claims by type of claims-maker,
1995–2009 (Belgium) 61
4.5 Frames used in claims on immigration and integration
in Belgium, 1995–2009 64
5.1 Salience of immigration and integration in Ireland, 1995–2009 81
5.2 Developments of polarisation and tone in Ireland, 1995–2009 83
5.3 Salience and polarisation in Ireland, 1995–2009 85
5.4 Proportion of claims by type of claims-maker,
1995–2009 (Ireland) 86
5.5 Frames used in claims on immigration and integration
in Ireland, 1995–2009 88
