Immigration, Labour Markets and Employment Relations: Problems and Prospects

Patrick McGovern

British Journal of Industrial Relations, 2007, vol. 45, issue 2, pages 217-235

Abstract: In this review essay, I argue that immigration presents employment researchers with a promising strategic research site because it raises a number of theoretically significant problems with mainstream economic approaches to labour and labour markets. Despite the tendency to view economic migrants as "homo economicus" personified, I argue that immigration brings the institutional nature of labour markets into sharp relief as it exposes, among other things, the influence of the state, processes of labour market segmentation, and the role of trade union policy and practice. Having identified a number of empirical anomalies that contradict neoclassical economic theory, I proceed to sketch out three areas where a more institutionally oriented approach should prove more fruitful. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd/London School of Economics 2007.

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