Construction of Migration Policies in the Eastern Neighbourhood of the European Union

Abstract:

This paper focuses on the construction of migration policies in the EU neighbourhood. While realist accounts insist that nation-states are rational actors and policies are based on their needs and interest-based calculations, the constructivist arguments, promoted by World Society theory, emphasize the impact of global political culture on shaping policies of social entities. On the example of migration policy-making in the EU neighbourhood post-Soviet states I argue that migration policies are highly standardized despite diverging geopolitical interests of these nation-states. Population control migration models are promoted under the global cultural theme of economic progress and are highly individual-centred in content, regardless of emigration or immigration concerns of nation-states, their power dynamics and economic standing. These scripted purposes for policy adoption diffuse regardless of imposed conditionality.