Migration, Identity and Sovereignty Case Studies

Question 1

What is the Schengen agreement?

Answer 1

• Allows the free movement of EU nationals including University students and non EU nationals etc.
• As of 2024, There are 29 states in the Schengen agreement with 25/27 EU states excluding Cyprus and Ireland
• Some countries opt out of the agreement in order to protect previous free travel agreements like the one between Ireland and mainland UK

Question 2

What are some positives of the Schengen agreements?

Answer 2

• The free movement of tourists means cross border holidays spending more money in different countries boosting economic growth
• The free movement of workers means a cheap source of labour for businesses as economic migrants are willing to work for less

Question 3

What are some negatives of the Schengen agreement?

Answer 3

• The movement of economic migrants may undercut previous residents of the country as they are more willing to be paid less for the same work
• Any changes to the Schengen agreement requires unanimous decision from all member states
• Opens the opportunity for organised crime such as smuggling and international terrorism

Question 4

What has caused the change in Chinese patterns of labour?

Answer 4

• Due to the industrialisation of South Asia, rural to urban migration has increased due to want for secondary sector employment
• Due to the want for cheaper labour, travel restrictions have been reduced across places such has the EU benefitting capitalism

Question 5

How have changes to the Chinese patterns of labour influenced rural to urban migration?

Answer 5

• A Global shift of industrialisation from the UK and the USA to Asia in the 1970s and 80s
• This caused flows of rural migrants to smaller cities and a second flows of small city inhabitants to bigger cities
• This caused an increase in the urban population of over 29% from 1980 to 2012 and by 2025 a further 350 million people will have moved to China

Question 6

What is the Hukou system and what problems does it cause?

Answer 6

• A legacy policy of the CCP during Mao’s reign prohibiting rural to urban migration without a permit which is given on the basis of income, heritage, skill etc.
• Due to heavy restrictions, 2/3s of urban migrants are men meaning the estrangment of many families causing heavy stress on public services during the holidays
• It also restricts the amount of urban workers available and may restrict economic industrial growth in the future

Question 7

How has the level of engagement with the global economy has affected migration to Japan?

Answer 7

• The isolated language of Japanese has limited the extent to which economic migrants can move to and improve the economy and there is very little change in political mindset

Question 8

How have migration policies affected migration?

Answer 8

• Closed door policies will lead to the Japanese working population halving from 2007 to 2037
• 27% are aged over 65 and and the median age is 46.5
• Only 1.7% of Japan are immigrants but IMF research says economically successful countries have 5%
• Japan needs 17 million immigrants to sustain 2007 working age population levels

Question 9

How has migration policies affected migration in Australia?

Answer 9

• Skill based, 70% of immigrants moving to Australia are to fill skill shortages

Question 10

What are the positives of the Australian migration policies?

Answer 10

• Allows the country to fit skill gaps in the population
• Economic immigrants contribute 10% more gdp per capita than non immigrants
• Between 2015 and and 2050, economic immigrants are estimated to add $1.2 trillion to Australia’s economy
• Benefit Australia’s demographic with 50% being 20-34 compared to 20% of Australian non-immigrants reducing pressure of social and medical care unlike Japan

Question 11

How has the level of engagement with the global economy affected Singaporean migration?

Answer 11

• The majority of people moving to Singapore become permanent residents and singaporean citizens
• High net-worth and skilled immigrants are attracted to Singaporean high living standards and low tax
• Has been the main factor in driving population growth

Question 12

What is Singapore’s immigration policy?

Answer 12

• Points based policy based on an eligibility criteria formed by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) introduced in 2022 due to native discontent in relation to levels of immigration.
• Previously, Singapore had promised in 1981 to phase out all unskilled workers bar few by 1991 while simultaneously calling for skilled workers with the Contact Singapore campaign in 1997 with the aim of encouraging immigration of foreign talent to Singapore

Question 13

WHat are the advantages and disadvantages of Singapore’s immigration policy?

Answer 13

• Foreign nationals claiming citizenship cause social discontent but are fired from their job and deported as a result

-Singapore is mostly (98.4%) made up of an immigrant population of Malay, Chinese and Indian people. This means culture is only contemporary

• Allows economic growth of skilled sectors such as law, medicine and engineering
• Due to the country being mostly a product of immigration, there economic growth is almost solely tied to the processes of immigration