Migration and Democracy

Migration and Democracy
Author: Abel Escribà-Folch
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2022-01-11
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 069119937X

"In the rich and growing body of work on democracy, there has been little attention to the connection between democracy and migration; and when there is, it is usually in connection with countries that see in-migration rather than out-migration. The latter is the focus of this book, which looks specifically at remittances--money sent from a migrant back to their home country--and how they reshape the internal balance of power by influencing the incentives and opportunities for political action among individuals receiving remittance income. Not only do remittances provide the resources that make contentious collective action possible, but they also reduce households' dependence on state-delivered goods and thus undermine the effectiveness of regime patronage strategies that underpin electoral authoritarianism. The book starts with a general examination of international migration and associated remittance flows, pointing out that remittance flows have become so great as to be one of the largest sources of foreign income in autocracies--and one that goes directly to democratizing agents (that is, to individuals), largely circumventing authoritarian governments. The authors then look the mechanisms that cause non-democracies collapse, and how these mechanisms are encouraged by remittances. Specifically, the authors look at how remittances inrease the likehood of individual-level protest, decrease the appeal of patronage networks, and act as an accelerant during the democratizing process"--

Political Dissent and Democratic Remittances

Political Dissent and Democratic Remittances
Author: Joanna Fomina
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 155
Release: 2021-10-24
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000479668

With a focus on the most recent wave of political emigration from Russia unleashed during President Vladimir Putin’s third term, this book explores the activities of those who voice political dissent after leaving their country. Based on rich ethnographic data and interviews gathered among Russian emigrants to the EU member-states, who are engaged in civic and political participation targeted at their home country, it demonstrates that emigration, particularly forced emigration in which political dissidents are squeezed out of their country, no longer functions efficiently as a means of calming political unrest. Drawing on the concept of social remittances, the author analyses the content, structure and the channels of political democratic remittances sent by political dissidents overseas, the factors that shape them and the perceived effects of these endeavours. A study of the latest wave of politically charged emigration from Russia and emigrants’ engagement in ‘homeland politics’, this volume will appeal to scholars across a range of social sciences working on migration, diaspora and democratisation processes, citizenship, EU studies and Russia studies.

Democratization through Migration?

Democratization through Migration?
Author: Christl Kessler
Publisher: Lexington Books
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2016-03-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1498514227

In migration research, studies on the influence of return migrants on the societies in their home countries are still few and predominantly concentrate on the economic dimension of migration. The literature on democratization has likewise paid only scant attention to the external factors that play a role in the transition of states in the process of becoming more democratic. Cognizant of these lacunae in research on migration and democratization, this book sets out to argue that return migrants can play an important role in the consolidation process of young democracies. The goal is therefore to explore the nature of this influence and to discuss its stabilizing as well as destabilizing aspects with regards to democratization. As a case study this book analyzes “labor exporter par excellence,” the Philippines. Research is based on original data: a survey in the Philippines with 2,000 respondents, 37 in-depth interviews with respondents from the sample, and 45 expert interviews serving as background material. The destinations covered are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong. This book discusses whether labor migration can affect democratization processes and what impact the political order of the host country has on this potential effect. It attests the potential of the migration experience to affect migrants' attitudes towards democracy, thus playing an important role in the support needed for democracies in the stage of consolidation. Our findings suggest that the migration experience may not only lead to a more critical stance towards the political system of the home country; there are also indicators of lesser support for the principles of democracy when compared to migrants about to leave the country for the first time. The political system of the destination as such seems to be a less decisive factor than the specific freedoms and restrictions experienced by migrants and a potential bias when selecting the destination.

Old Nations, New Voters

Old Nations, New Voters
Author: David C. Earnest
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2008-11-05
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0791477517

Groundbreaking empirical study of voting by resident aliens in established democracies.

Shock to the System

Shock to the System
Author: Michael K. Miller
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2021-07-20
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0691217599

How violent events and autocratic parties trigger democratic change How do democracies emerge? Shock to the System presents a novel theory of democratization that focuses on how events like coups, wars, and elections disrupt autocratic regimes and trigger democratic change. Employing the broadest qualitative and quantitative analyses of democratization to date, Michael Miller demonstrates that more than nine in ten transitions since 1800 occur in one of two ways: countries democratize following a major violent shock or an established ruling party democratizes through elections and regains power within democracy. This framework fundamentally reorients theories on democratization by showing that violent upheavals and the preservation of autocrats in power—events typically viewed as antithetical to democracy—are in fact central to its foundation. Through in-depth examinations of 139 democratic transitions, Miller shows how democratization frequently follows both domestic shocks (coups, civil wars, and assassinations) and international shocks (defeat in war and withdrawal of an autocratic hegemon) due to autocratic insecurity and openings for opposition actors. He also shows how transitions guided by ruling parties spring from their electoral confidence in democracy. Both contexts limit the power autocrats sacrifice by accepting democratization, smoothing along the transition. Miller provides new insights into democratization’s predictors, the limited gains from events like the Arab Spring, the best routes to democratization for long-term stability, and the future of global democracy. Disputing commonly held ideas about violent events and their effects on democracy, Shock to the System offers new perspectives on how regimes are transformed.

International Migration and the Globalization of Domestic Politics

International Migration and the Globalization of Domestic Politics
Author: Rey Koslowski
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2006
Genre: Emigration and immigration
ISBN: 0415429676

This book considers the impact of migrant communities on the politics of their home nations, with case studies from Israel, Turkey, Kurdistan, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Sri Lanka.

Central America in the New Millennium

Central America in the New Millennium
Author: Jennifer L. Burrell
Publisher: Berghahn Books
Total Pages: 346
Release: 2013
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0857457527

Most non-Central Americans think of the narrow neck between Mexico and Colombia in terms of dramatic past revolutions and lauded peace agreements, or sensational problems of gang violence and natural disasters. In this volume, the contributors examine regional circumstances within frames of democratization and neoliberalism, as they shape lived experiences of transition. The authors--anthropologists and social scientists from the United States, Europe, and Central America--argue that the process of regions and nations "disappearing" (being erased from geopolitical notice) is integral to upholding a new, post-Cold War world order--and that a new framework for examining political processes must be accessible, socially collaborative, and in dialogue with the lived processes of suffering and struggle engaged by people in Central America and the world in the name of democracy.

The Autocratic Middle Class

The Autocratic Middle Class
Author: Bryn Rosenfeld
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2020-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0691192197

"The conventional wisdom is that a growing middle class will give rise to democracy. Yet the middle classes of the developing world have grown at a remarkable pace over the past two decades, and much of this growth has taken place in countries that remain nondemocratic. Rosenfeld explains this phenomenon by showing how modern autocracies secure support from key middle-class constituencies. Drawing on original surveys, interviews, archival documents, and secondary sources collected from nine months in the field, she compares the experiences of recent post-communist countries, including Russia, the Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, to show that under autocracy, state efforts weaken support for democracy, especially among the middle class. When autocratic states engage extensively in their economies - by offering state employment, offering perks to those to those who are loyal, and threatening dismissal to those who are disloyal - the middle classes become dependent on the state for economic opportunities and career advancement, and, ultimately, do not support a shift toward democratization. Her argument explains why popular support for Ukraine's Orange Revolution unraveled or why Russians did not protest evidence of massive electoral fraud. The author's research questions the assumption that a rising share of educated, white-collar workers always makes the conditions for democracy more favorable, and why dependence on the state has such pernicious consequences for democratization"--

Korea’s Quest for Economic Democratization

Korea’s Quest for Economic Democratization
Author: Youngmi Kim
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 312
Release: 2017-09-06
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3319570668

This book studies the sources of inequality in contemporary South Korea and the social and political contention this engenders. Korean society is becoming more polarized. Demands for ‘economic democratization’ and a fairer redistribution of wealth occupy centre-stage of political campaigns, debates and discourse. The contributions offer perspectives on this wide-ranging socio-political change by examining the transformation of organized labour, civil society, the emergence of new cleavages in society, and the growing ethnic diversity of Korea’s population. Bringing together a team of scholars on Korea’s transition and democratization, the story the books tells is one of a society acutely divided by the neo-liberal policies that accompanied and followed the Asian financial crisis. Taken together, the contributions argue that tackling inequalities are challenges that Korean policy-makers can no longer postpone. The solution, however, cannot be imposed, once again, from the top down, but needs to arise from a broader conversation including all segments of Korean society. The book is intended for a readership interested in South Korean politics specifically, and global experiences in transition more generally.

Undocumented Migration

Undocumented Migration
Author: Roberto G. Gonzales
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 175
Release: 2019-10-11
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1509506985

Undocumented migration is a global and yet elusive phenomenon. Despite contemporary efforts to patrol national borders and mass deportation programs, it remains firmly placed at the top of the political agenda in many countries where it receives hostile media coverage and generates fierce debate. However, as this much-needed book makes clear, unauthorized movement should not be confused or crudely assimilated with the social reality of growing numbers of large, settled populations lacking full citizenship and experiencing precarious lives. From the journeys migrants take to the lives they seek on arrival and beyond, Undocumented Migration provides a comparative view of how this phenomenon plays out, looking in particular at the United States and Europe. Drawing on their extensive expertise, the authors breathe life into the various issues and debates surrounding migration, including the experiences and voices of migrants themselves, to offer a critical analysis of a hidden and too often misrepresented population.