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The Myth of Invasion: the inconvenient realities of African migration to Europe

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  • Hein de Haas

Abstract

African migration to Europe is commonly seen as a tidal wave of desperate people fleeing poverty and warfare at home trying to enter the elusive European el Dorado. Typical ‘solutions’ proposed by politicians include increasing border controls or boosting African ‘stay-at-home’ development. However, such apocalyptic views are based on fundamentally flawed assumptions about the (limited) magnitude, historicity, nature and causes of this migration. Dominant discourses obscure the fact that African migration to Europe and Libya is fuelled by a structural demand for cheap migrant labour in informal sectors. This explains why restrictive immigration policies have invariably failed to stop migration and have had various perverse effects. African development is also unlikely to curb migration as it will enable and inspire more people to migrate. Despite lip service being paid to ‘combating illegal migration’ for political and diplomatic reasons, neither European nor African states have much genuine interest in stopping migration.

Suggested Citation

  • Hein de Haas, 2008. "The Myth of Invasion: the inconvenient realities of African migration to Europe," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(7), pages 1305-1322.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ctwqxx:v:29:y:2008:i:7:p:1305-1322
    DOI: 10.1080/01436590802386435
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    Cited by:

    1. Julien Brachet, 2018. "Manufacturing Smugglers: From Irregular to Clandestine Mobility in the Sahara," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 676(1), pages 16-35, March.
    2. Sebastian Carlotti, 2021. "Behind the Curtain of the Border Spectacle: Introducing ‘Illegal’ Movement and Racialized Profiling in the West African Region," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Dreher, Axel & Fuchs, Andreas & Langlotz, Sarah, 2019. "The effects of foreign aid on refugee flows," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 127-147.
    4. Mafico, Nkosana & Krzeminska, Anna & Härtel, Charmine & Keller, Josh, 2021. "The mirroring of intercultural and hybridity experiences: A study of African immigrant social entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(3).
    5. Lawan Cheri, 2021. "Perceived Impact of Border Closure due to Covid-19 of Intending Nigerian Migrants," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 207-215.
    6. Anthony Amoah & Carlos Tetteh & Kofi Korle & Samuel Howard Quartey, 2022. "Human Development and Net Migration: the Ghanaian Experience," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1147-1172, September.
    7. Kevin J. A. Thomas, 2016. "Highly Skilled Migration from Africa to the US: Exit Mechanisms, Demographic Determinants, and the Role of Socioeconomic Trends," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(6), pages 825-849, December.
    8. Amr Abdelwahed & Anne Goujon & Leiwen Jiang, 2020. "The Migration Intentions of Young Egyptians," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-38, November.
    9. Jochen Oltmer, 2017. "Germany and Global Refugees: A History of the Present," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 14(04), pages 26-31, February.
    10. Charles Temitope Adeyanju & Olabimpe Ajoke Olatunji, 2022. "Migration of Nigerians to Canada for Higher Education: Student Visa as a Pathway to Permanent Residence," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 105-124, March.
    11. Michelle Pace, 2014. "The EU's Interpretation of the ‘Arab Uprisings’: Understanding the Different Visions about Democratic Change in EU-MENA Relations," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 969-984, September.
    12. Joris Schapendonk, 2012. "Turbulent Trajectories: African Migrants on Their Way to the European Union," Societies, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-15, April.
    13. Lucia dalla Pellegrina & Margherita Saraceno & Mattia Suardi, 2018. "Migration policy: did an emergency provision displace standard rules? Evidence from Italy," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 35(3), pages 863-893, December.
    14. Torsten Menge, 2019. "How Far Does the European Union Reach? Foreign Land Acquisitions and the Boundaries of Political Communities," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-15, March.

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