The politics of migration interdependence in the post-Arab Spring Middle East

Tsourapas, G. (2019) The politics of migration interdependence in the post-Arab Spring Middle East. In: Geddes, A., Espinoza, M. V., Hadj-Abdou, L. and Brumat, L. (eds.) The Dynamics of Regional Migration Governance. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, UK, pp. 128-145. ISBN 9781788119931 (doi: 10.4337/9781788119948.00013)

Abstract

Political economy dynamics allow unique insights into regional migration governance. Within the Middle East migration sub-system, how do states attempt to use their position as destinations for labour migration to influence sending states, and when do they succeed? I argue that economically-driven cross-border mobility generates reciprocal political economy effects, or migration interdependence. Host states may leverage their position against a sending state by either deploying strategies of restriction or displacement. These strategies’ success depends on whether the sending state is vulnerable to the political-economy costs incurred due to the host states’ strategy and whether it cannot procure the support of alternative host states. I demonstrate my claims through a least-likely, two-case study design of Libyan and Jordanian coercive migration diplomacy against Egypt. By focusing on the politics of regional migration governance in the Middle East, I examine how two weaker Arab states successfully leveraged their position against a stronger one.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Tsourapas, Professor Gerasimos
• Authors: Tsourapas, G.
• Subjects: J Political Science > JA Political science (General); J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Publisher: Edward Elgar
• ISBN: 9781788119931
• Published Online: 28 June 2019