This paper analyses how fundamental transformations of Moroccan society over the past century have shaped Morocco’s mobility complex and how migration has affected and accelerated these... Show moreThis paper analyses how fundamental transformations of Moroccan society over the past century have shaped Morocco’s mobility complex and how migration has affected and accelerated these transformation processes in its own right. Economic transitions and the concomitant demise of subsistence-based agrarian livelihoods, urbanization processes and demographic transitions, increasing education and rapid cultural change have increased all forms of migratory and non-migratory mobility within and from Morocco, particularly through large-scale rural-to-urban migration as well as rapidly increasing emigration to Europe. While earlier patterns seem largely consistent with mobility transition theory, the predicted decrease in emigration levels has not occurred, as, since the 1990s, Morocco has entered a migration plateau of persistently high emigration despite significant increases in living standards, a slowing down of internal migration and increasing immigration. Continuously high levels of emigration can be explained by a growing disjuncture between sluggish and uneven economic development that has mainly benefitted certain regions and economic elites on the one hand, and fast sociocultural change across all social classes and regions on the other. This disjuncture has rapidly increased youth’s aspirations for lifestyles and freedoms that they find difficult to imagine in Morocco, but at the same time reshapes Morocco’s internal mobility patterns and attracts growing numbers of immigrants. Show less
Haas, H. de; Fransen, S.; Natter, K.; Schewel, K.; Vezzoli, S. 2020
Over centuries past, human societies have been through fundamental changes often defined as ‘modernisation’. Despite huge advances in knowledge, social science has struggled to conceptualise the... Show moreOver centuries past, human societies have been through fundamental changes often defined as ‘modernisation’. Despite huge advances in knowledge, social science has struggled to conceptualise the nature of these changes and to integrate insights from across different disciplines into a single framework. Disciplinary fragmentation and methodological parochialism as well as a postmodern aversion to ‘grand theory’ have impeded theoretical synthesis. To overcome this impasse, we introduce social transformation as a meta-theoretical conceptual framework for studying ‘big change’. Defining social transformation as a fundamental change in the way that societies are organised and resources are distributed, we distinguish five interconnected dimensions – the political, the economic, the technological, the demographic and the cultural – which together constitute the ‘social realm’. Studied simultaneously, these dimensions are able to capture ‘big change’ in its universal aspects while keeping sight of the diversity of its concrete manifestations. We apply this framework to explore how the ‘modern transformation’ has reshaped societies and to show how the interplay of the various political, economic, technological, demographic and cultural transitions have transformed social life around the globe in strikingly similar ways – notwithstanding the varied, unique ways in which this ‘modern transformation’ has concretely manifested itself across societies and over different periods. Show less
Open immigration policy changes are often cast as a feature of democracy and restrictive immigration policy changes as a feature of autocracy. This paper shows that the relationship between... Show moreOpen immigration policy changes are often cast as a feature of democracy and restrictive immigration policy changes as a feature of autocracy. This paper shows that the relationship between political regime type and immigration policy change is not as clear cut. Empirical evidence suggests that the substance of immigration policy change — in terms of openness or restrictiveness — does not significantly differ between democracies and autocracies. However, political regimes shape immigration policy dynamics, with autocracies having more leeway than democracies to open (or restrict) immigration according to their economic, geopolitical, or domestic priorities. Autocracies can more easily enact open immigration policy reforms compared to democracies if they wish to do so, a dynamic I call the ‘illiberal paradox’ and illustrate with empirical examples from across the globe. I also outline the limits of the autocratic openings on immigration, related to policy implementation, sudden policy backlashes and migrants’ integration rights. To move towards more global immigration policy theories, this paper suggests combining analyses that identify ideal types of democratic or autocratic immigration policymaking with studies of the nuances of real-life political practices. This would allow scholars to conceptualise immigration policy dynamics across the entire democracy-autocracy spectrum, for instance by capturing authoritarian practices within formal democracies and democratic practices within formal autocracies. Show less
Die europäische Berichterstattung zu Migration im Maghreb weist viele blinde Flecken auf. So bleibt oft unerwähnt, dass Migration für Algerien, Marokko und Tunesien kein neuartiges Phänomen ist,... Show moreDie europäische Berichterstattung zu Migration im Maghreb weist viele blinde Flecken auf. So bleibt oft unerwähnt, dass Migration für Algerien, Marokko und Tunesien kein neuartiges Phänomen ist, sondern sich in Jahrhunderte der Mobilität im Sahara- und Mittelmeerraum einfügt. Auch betrachtet sie die Länder meist als einheitlichen Block und übersieht die Unterschiede zwischen ihnen. Schließlich blendet sie die Perspektive der Maghreb-Staaten und ihre innen- wie außenpolitischen Interessen weitgehend aus. Die Maghreb-Staaten sind nicht nur Herkunfts-, sondern auch Transit- und Zielländer von Migrant_innen. Frankreich ist historisch das wichtigste Zielland, doch in den letzten Jahrzehnten wurden besonders Italien und Spanien zu bevorzugten Destinationen. Deutschland folgt in einigem Abstand. Als Folge zunehmender europäischer Restriktionen wurde die zirkuläre Migration der Ära der Gastarbeiter_innen durch zunehmend irreguläre Migration ersetzt. Gleichzeitig sind die Maghreb-Staaten heute als Einwanderungs- und Transitländer für Migrant_innen und Geflüchtete aus Afrika, Asien und Europa mit Fragen von Integration und Diversität konfrontiert, wie wir sie aus Europa kennen. All diese Entwicklungen finden nicht losgelöst von der Politik statt. Im Wechselspiel von Migrationsdynamiken und Migrationspolitik spielen die Maghreb-Staaten ebenso eine Rolle wie Europa oder andere afrikanische Staaten. Aktuelle Debatten, in denen Migration auf ein »Problem« reduziert wird, das es zu »lösen« gilt, sind nicht zielführend, da Migration ein struktureller Bestandteil von sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und politischen Entwicklungen sowohl in Herkunfts- als auch in Zielländern ist. Show less
This paper analyses emigration from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia to main European and North American destinations since the 1960s. It explores the role of states, post-colonial ties and migration... Show moreThis paper analyses emigration from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia to main European and North American destinations since the 1960s. It explores the role of states, post-colonial ties and migration policies in emigration dynamics. By adopting a historical-comparative approach and an origin country perspective, this paper shows that Maghreb emigration was continuously shaped not only by government strategies in Europe but also by those of Maghreb states. Drawing on new bilateral migration flow data compiled in the DEMIG C2C database, the paper reveals three distinct phases in which Maghreb emigration patterns converge and diverge: the post-independence period in which Maghreb emigration boomed; the period from the mid-1970s until the early 1990s when Algerian emigration levelled off while emigration from neighbouring countries’ remained high; and the period from the early 1990s when Moroccan emigration increased exponentially while Tunisian and Algerian only grew moderately. Similarities in Maghreb emigration patterns can be explained by the countries’ comparable geopolitical and socio-economic features and that European states apply the same immigration policies to all Maghreb countries. To understand the divergences however, a closer look at origin country factors is required. The paper finds that Algeria’s departure from regional emigration patterns in the 1970s can be traced back to the emigration stop implemented by the Algerian government in 1973. Conversely, the active promotion of emigration by the Moroccan state facilitated emigration by making access to passport easier and fostering a culture of emigration that together with high unemployment partly explains Morocco’s emigration boom after the 1990s. Finally, recent diversification of Maghreb emigration to divergent South European countries, can be attributed to specific historical linkages, with Moroccans and Algerians mainly migrating to Spain and Tunisians to Italy. Show less
