007 Labor Migration in the European Union After Brexit: Beyond Liberalism?

Wednesday, March 28, 2018: 9:00 AM-10:45 AM
Burnham (InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile)
The Brexit referendum has demonstrated that it is not just immigration from outside of Europe, but also immigration by Europeans which can raise significant concerns and ultimately spawn a resounding backlash. The major income and wealth gaps between European countries have created massive migration movements, which are further enhanced by the economic problems experienced in southern Europe. Though legally distinct, the ongoing immigration crisis involving immigrants from outside of Europe is often being conflated in public debates with the dramatic rise in intra-European migration. This panel entails papers that probe the politics of immigration policymaking across Europe in the aftermath of Brexit. Given how central the immigration topic was in the public debate preceding the referendum, decision-makers across Europe are under pressure to re-consider the generous provisions of the free movement of labor, but thus far are not willing to budge. However, the momentum behind further strides in EU-level immigration policymaking is dwindling. The electoral fortunes of parties skeptical of immigration across Europe and the conflation of different types of immigrants suggest that a partial or at least temporary suspension of elements of the freedom of labor mobility no longer seems inconceivable. The gap between the elite stance on the issue and the position of a growing proportion of the populace points to re-regulatory stance. Yet the freedom of labor mobility is considered in some quarters a defining tenet of European integration. Will it be caught up in and affected by the likely re-regulation of immigration by third country nationals?
Chair:
Georg Menz
Discussant :
James Hollifield
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See more of: Session Proposals