How Migration Really Works
The Facts About the Most Divisive Issue in Politics
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3.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
An authoritative guide to global migration that corrects decades of misunderstanding and misguided policy, "defying orthodoxy on all sides of the debate" (Yascha Mounk, author of The Identity Trap).
As debates on immigration have reached fever pitch, so has political and media fearmongering. But what are the facts behind the headlines?
Drawing on three decades of research, migration expert Hein de Haas destroys the myths that politicians, interest groups, and media spread about immigration. He reveals:
Global migration is not at an all-time high Climate change will not lead to mass migration Immigration mainly benefits the wealthy, not workers Border restrictions have paradoxically produced more migration
Ultimately, de Haas shows migration not as a problem to be solved, nor as a solution to a problem, but as it really is.
This book is an essential guide to one of our most divisive political issues, showing how we can move beyond today’s deeply polarized debate and make migration work better for everyone.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
De Haas (Age of Migration), a professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam, argues in this meticulous survey that the widespread assumption that today is an era of "unprecedented mass migration" is wrong. In fact, he notes, for the last 60 years, international migration as a percentage of world population has been relatively low and unchanged. Drawing on extensive empirical research, de Haas debunks 22 such "migration myths," arguing along the way that migration is neither a significant problem nor a solution to such concerns as demographic aging. Each chapter describes a myth and provides counterevidence. For example, de Haas picks apart the assertion that "immigration undermines the welfare state" in developed countries by citing studies showing that people do not migrate to obtain welfare benefits, that the fiscal cost of immigrants is relatively small compared to GDP, and that undocumented immigrants are net contributors to the welfare system through their tax payments. Throughout, de Haas considers a range of issues, including whether border restrictions reduce immigration (they don't), the prevalence of sex trafficking (highly exaggerated), and the impact of climate change on migration (it will be minimal). That de Haas assesses each myth in a similar way and in a list-like format makes for a somewhat repetitious but still highly informative account. Immigration advocates will want to take a look.
