Contenu du sommaire : Flux migratoires, immigration, altérité

Historical Concepts of Migratory Flows : Dualities and False Discoveries For a long time, studies on migrations have been structured by the distinction between marginal and structural, temporary and permanent or work and settlement immigration. This categorization still underlies many current analyses of the issue. When re-examining the uses of such concepts, one is lead to question their implicit temporalities. It is lack of imagination and historical knowledge to see the immigration of the late 20th Century as a novelty. Even the presence of women among immigrants is a long-term phenomenon. The duality of concepts on migration must be reconsidered and their historicity understood.

Migrations in Europe : The Impact of EU Enlargement to the East By pushing its borders eastwards, the European Union opens up and closes down all at once, it includes while excluding. The perception of migrants as a threat together with the policies of fear that stem from it have inspired the conditions imposed to future EU members with regard to migrations. But these fears seem unfounded. Besides, the impact of enlargement that was dreaded as destabilizing for the EU in terms of potential migratory flows, seems to be more destabilizing for the new EU members, notably in regard to their relations with their neighbours excluded from the enlargement. Paradoxically, the new « Schengen border » and the adoption of restrictive measures, while preventing the free movement of people, also run the risk to encourage illegality.

The Construction of Common Sense on Immigration in Italy : How the « People » Enters the Political and Media Discourse In the political discourse, the reference to citizens' behavior is an argument of primary importance. In Italy, to justify restrictive policies on immigration or on citizenship rights granted to foreigners, the discourse often refers to the lack of preparation of the social fabrics or to the fact that too open a policy would increase racism. But for all that, the role of individual attitudes in the elaboration of immigration policies must not be exaggerated. The notion of public opinion, as commonly used, is mostly a fiction, if not a mere discursive tool. « Peoples' opinion », which is sometimes inquired in a « scientific » way through opinion polls, is not only the final and distorted result of complex and interdependent social dynamics, but also a devised referent.

Immigration in the German Political Debate Since the change in government in 1998, the debate on immigration has gained a new momentum in German politics. As one of their first projects, the coalition of the Social Democrats and the Greens reformed the citizenship law. Shortly after, a highly controversial debate on a new immigration policy started. In many aspects, it added positive attributes to the image of foreigners in Germany. One example is the economic benefit of migrant workers. Nevertheless, this debate aims primarily at the German voters and not at the foreigners. The political parties are competing for who is the best to solve the « problem of foreigners », using the issue to improve their own image.

From Rightwing Populism to National Populism: The November 2002 National Elections in Austria Initially, the outcome of the recent Austrian elections might lead one to believe that xenophobia, and with it, the controversies surrounding immigration will finally disappear from the political agenda. However, it would be short-sightedness to analyze xenophobia, racism and more mainstream and moderate forms of « anti-immigration policies » only in terms of votes cast for a specific party. In any case, it is necessary to differentiate between two important dimensions in this regard, the mobilization of xenophobia and racism by the political elite, on the one hand, and more indirect forms of exclusion and negative targeting of immigrants by government policies and public institutions, on the other hand. The article also discusses the general background of the formation of the « center-right » coalition and a number of issues connected to the rise of right-wing populism in Austria.

State, Border, and the « Rude » Foreigner It is nowadays impossible to tackle the issues of immigration and of asylum rights without referring to the institutional and legal « malfunctionings » of the European Union. The solution most often put forth with sincere belief would consist in a European « harmonization » of migration policies. Although the issue does exist, it seems to be subordinated to the fundamental belief in national order and symbolic security as determined by a hierarchy of categorical imperatives. What must be defended is not so much the physical integrity of the territory of the nation (which is not objectively threatened by anybody). It is a threat of anomie in society.

The Legal Notion of Refugee and Asylum Rights in France The intense media coverage of the functioning and the closure of the Sangatte refugee center has once more drawn attention to the problem of « refugees », at the risk for the latter to be confused or blended in with that of « immigrants », « illegal immigrants » or « illegal aliens », whereas each of these concepts or realities have their particularities. In France, since 1993, the handling of refugees has been at the core of several legal or constitutional reforms. The end of the Cold War, developments in European law and the Algerian civil war have led to an original evolution of the French asylum rights. The persecutions caused by social actors other than state authorities have been taken into account, EU competencies have been widened, and new principles specific to the refugees rights related to family unity have been introduced.

Tensions in State/NGO Relations on the Asylum Issue This article intends to analyze the relations between NGOs and state officials over a sensitive issue, that of asylum, by looking more especially into the issue of asylum seekers. The article aims at demonstrating, through the particular case of Forum réfugiés, a French NGO, how the non-governmental sector is both dependent on, and victims of, the absence of public policy and find themselves in a contradictory position that verges on schizophrenia. Indeed, they are led to construct public policy to compensate for the lack of overall strategy. In the meantime, they question and denounce the failings of a policy they are also compelled to implement, while trying to maintain and frame their relations with state authorities.

Immigration Policy in the United States US immigration policy has been characterized since 1965 – when the national quotas were abolished – by a certain degree of flexibility favoring the principle of family reunification. A balance has been found between inclusive and exclusive tendencies. This policy line has been maintained despite increasing hostility to immigration among the public from the 1980s onwards and the mobilization of xenophobic pressure groups. The persistence of a perception of the US as a welcoming land, supported by human rights organizations and organizations for the defense of ethnic minorities, a consideration of economic interests in some key sectors, as well as the workings of national political institutions – that tend to insulate decision-makers from the public – account for the resilience of this approach to immigration.