The political economy of immigration policy : the example of Scotland

Abstract

The inward mobility of labour can serve as a driver of economic growth and the immigration policies of many countries are orientated towards this end. However immigration is also a contentious issue, with the general public often displaying hostility towards liberal immigration policies. The compromises between economic and political considerations that states make when developing immigration policy are poorly theorised in academic literature. The study contributes to conceptual understandings of the voices of ‘elites’ in the political-economy of immigration policy through a critical interrogation of the narratives and preferences of employers in the context of the ongoing Scottish constitutional change debate.