Portugal’s Immigration and Integration Policies: a Case Apart?

Maria Lorena Cook ()
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Maria Lorena Cook: Cornell University

Journal of International Migration and Integration, 2018, vol. 19, issue 3, No 15, 789 pages

Abstract: Abstract Most countries in Europe have seen the rise of anti-immigrant political parties in recent years and many have implemented more restrictive immigration measures. Portugal has moved in the opposite direction, seeking to produce some of the best practices and laws on immigration and immigrant integration. Traditional theories of immigration policy fail to account for the Portuguese case, and regional models of immigration overlook ways in which Portugal diverges. Instead, Portuguese policies are best understood as the product of (1) a political consensus on immigration that derives in part from Portugal’s social-revolutionary democratic transition; (2) innovative institutions that enjoy both autonomy and political support, enable a “whole-of-government” approach, and mediate social pressures created by immigration; and (3) leadership choices made by politicians, bureaucrats, and civil society groups to forge consensus and seek inclusion. The Portuguese case signals the importance of adopting other lenses for the comparative study of immigration policies that go beyond regional models and highlight policy similarities among countries from distinct regions.

Keywords: Immigration; Immigration policies; Integration; Portugal; Southern Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/s12134-018-0569-x

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