The governance of migration in Europe : beyond fragmentation?

Abstract

The past, present, and future of the European state and of European integration within the European Union (EU) are closely bound with international migration to, from, and within European countries. This chapter surveys the governance of migration in Europe and efforts to deal with its fragmentation. This fragmentation is an inherent feature of a policy field that includes very different types of migration - to work, study, seek refuge, join family members, to name but four - as well as differing institutional contexts for the management of migration in European countries. The fragmentation of the governance field also poses major challenges to the EU in its quest to develop common migration and asylum policies. In addition, a more recent challenge is the divergence between the drivers of migration that can cause people to move to Europe (economic inequality and conflict being key reasons) and the drivers of migration politics (with increased public opposition to immigration) in European countries.