Shifts in the European Discourses on Migration and Development

Abstract

The issue of migration and development is currently high on the agenda of both development agencies and research institutes in several European countries. It used to be discussed during the 1960/1970s within a framework which, among others, comprised push-and pull factors in migration, brain drain, remittances and return migration. Its return on the development agenda occurs within the context of European post-modern societies, globalization and transnationalism. Key notions now are remittances and foreign direct investment, knowledge transfer, brain gain, transnational entrepreneurship and diasporas. This paper aims to explain the shifts in paradigms and discourses, with reference to the European Union, and particularly in the Netherlands and Germany. Research efforts and policy documents were scrutinized to trace the shifts in discourses. Moreover, the role of different actors in the debate -government agencies, migrant organizations, development funding agencies, and research institutes — is explored. Although some comparisons were made with similar situations in other parts of the world, the paper focuses on Asia-Europe migration. Although the migration and development debate has acquired a more positive tone, the recognition of the potential of diasporas for development varies by country context and policies have yet to integrate migration and development issues in their frameworks.