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A review by kfabian
How Migration Really Works: A Factful Guide to the Most Divisive Issue in Politics by Hein de Haas
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Cuts to the chase with informed and intelligent analysis
This book is divided into 22 chapters, each looking at a different “myth” about migration - reflecting the pervasiveness of misinformation and dissimulation on this highly politically charged topic (with many different factions, across the spectrum, having a vested interest in pushing one narrative or another for a range of reasons), and the dearth of attention paid to actual good quality research, which is what de Haas provides.
I actually consider the “repetitiveness” of this book, which some have criticised, to be a simple result of logic and clarity: no matter what angle you come from, certain key points reappear. And he’s thorough in looking at the topic from every angle.
The accusation that he cops out by not providing “solutions” wholly misses the point: what he promotes is consistency; for example, combining heavy immigration restrictions with a labour market that attracts high migration has been shown to be deeply counterproductive. If a government does want fewer immigrants, they have to pay attention to the labour market that’s drawing them - as, for instance, Japan has by having a more regulated labour market, heavily investing in automation and robot technology, increasing the retirement age, and accepting a low growth economy.
He highlights throughout how the management of immigration cannot be separated from other areas of political management (among many examples, poor urban planning and housing policies can work against successful integration).
There’s much more I could say about the contents, and the big picture he paints for us, but this review is probably already long enough!
The chapters themselves are nicely segmented into digestible parts. I read one chapter a day, cover to cover, and I personally found it a deeply satisfying read, and it’s a book I’ll be coming back to.
This book is divided into 22 chapters, each looking at a different “myth” about migration - reflecting the pervasiveness of misinformation and dissimulation on this highly politically charged topic (with many different factions, across the spectrum, having a vested interest in pushing one narrative or another for a range of reasons), and the dearth of attention paid to actual good quality research, which is what de Haas provides.
I actually consider the “repetitiveness” of this book, which some have criticised, to be a simple result of logic and clarity: no matter what angle you come from, certain key points reappear. And he’s thorough in looking at the topic from every angle.
The accusation that he cops out by not providing “solutions” wholly misses the point: what he promotes is consistency; for example, combining heavy immigration restrictions with a labour market that attracts high migration has been shown to be deeply counterproductive. If a government does want fewer immigrants, they have to pay attention to the labour market that’s drawing them - as, for instance, Japan has by having a more regulated labour market, heavily investing in automation and robot technology, increasing the retirement age, and accepting a low growth economy.
He highlights throughout how the management of immigration cannot be separated from other areas of political management (among many examples, poor urban planning and housing policies can work against successful integration).
There’s much more I could say about the contents, and the big picture he paints for us, but this review is probably already long enough!
The chapters themselves are nicely segmented into digestible parts. I read one chapter a day, cover to cover, and I personally found it a deeply satisfying read, and it’s a book I’ll be coming back to.