Balancing the heartless head and the headless heart. An explorative thesis of the opportunities for and obstacles to a sustainable immigration policy in Norway
Author
Heimstad, Kristine Fjelde
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-05-29
Pages
53
Abstract
This thesis examines what “sustainable immigration” entails and what enables or hinders its implementation in Norway’s welfare state. Methodologically, it uses document analysis and a single-case study of Norway, set against a historical and current overview of the welfare state and immigration policies toward both voluntary and forced migrants. The analysis is guided by Paul Collier and Alexander Betts’ Sustainable Migration Framework, built around three elements: the duty of rescue, a democratic mandate, and a “no regrets” approach that weighs the long-term interests of the receiving state, the sending state, and the migrant. The thesis concludes that sustainable immigration requires meeting basic ethical obligations, retaining public support in the receiving country, and respecting long-term interests for all parties. For Norway, this points to a policy of low numbers but high rights, long-term integration for most migrants, and substantial support to refugees primarily in neighboring regions. The study also identifies key enablers and barriers: opportunities include the policy’s theoretical alignment with the duty of rescue, practical alignment with contributing to stability in fragile societies, voter preferences for more restrictive immigration, and reliance on long-term forecasts; obstacles include promoting brain drain and potential mass migration, gaps between policy and practical assistance to refugees, tensions between opinion polls and voting patterns, insufficient information for would-be migrants, and limited consideration of origin states in policymaking. Overall, the thesis clarifies a contested concept and maps concrete levers and constraints for a more sustainable approach in Norway.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvad “bæredygtig immigration” indebærer, og hvilke muligheder og barrierer der findes for at gennemføre den i den norske velfærdsstat. Undersøgelsen bygger metodisk på dokumentanalyse og et enkelt casestudie af Norge og sætter casen i kontekst med et historisk og aktuelt overblik over velfærdsstaten samt politik over for både frivillige og tvungne migranter. Analysen er rammesat af Paul Collier og Alexander Betts’ Sustainable Migration Framework med tre centrale elementer: redningspligt, demokratisk mandat og “no regrets”, det vil sige hensyn til de langsigtede interesser for modtagerstat, afsenderstat og migrant. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at bæredygtig immigration kræver opfyldelse af basale etiske forpligtelser, folkelig opbakning i modtagerlandet og respekt for de langsigtede hensyn for alle parter. For Norge peger dette mod en politik med få indrejsende men høje rettigheder, varig integration for de fleste migranter og betydelig støtte til flygtninge primært i nærområder. Analysen identificerer også centrale drivkræfter og hindringer: som muligheder nævnes norsk politiks teoretiske forenelighed med redningspligten, praktisk forenelighed med at bidrage til stabilitet i skrøbelige samfund, vælgermønstre der foretrækker restriktiv indvandring og brug af langsigtede fremskrivninger; som barrierer nævnes fremme af brain drain og mulig masseindvandring, manglende praktisk bistand til flygtninge i forhold til målsætninger, modsatrettede signaler mellem meningsmålinger og stemmemønstre, utilstrækkelig information til potentielle migranter og begrænset hensyn til oprindelseslandene i politikudviklingen. Samlet bidrager afhandlingen med en afklaring af begrebet og et konkret overblik over, hvor Norge kan styrke en mere bæredygtig immigrationspraksis.
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