Session 4: Introduction to Immigration, Intra-EU Mobility, and the Welfare State
Lecturer: Clare Fenwick | Postdoctoral researcher at Studio Europa Maastricht
Time and date: Thursday 23 September (16.00-18.00)
Registration: https://www.aanmelder.nl/126035/subscribe
Session details
Freedom of movement, the right to live and work in any member state of the European Union (EU) for citizens, is a fundamental principle of the EU and widely considered as one of the most important achievements of European integration. Yet this key pillar of European integration has become a major topic of controversy, particularly following the financial crisis of 2008 and appears to be a key driver of Euroscepticism (e.g., Brexit) across the Union. Immigration and the movement of mobile citizens continue to transform our societies; thus, it is no surprise that this form of globalisation has caught the interest of the public, politicians, and researchers alike. This lecture examines key trends in European migration and explores the ability states to address inequality within their borders in light of increasing immigration and movement of EU mobile citizens. We will look at the role of immigration and mobility in transforming the boundaries of European welfare states and try to better understand the debates surrounding the wide-reaching effects of immigration on social policy. Moreover, we will discuss the dilemmas that policymakers face when trying to reconcile their national welfare systems and labour markets in times of increasing migration.
Pre-attendance materials:
- Kvist, J. (2004). Does EU Enlargement Start a Race to the Bottom? Strategic Interaction among EU Member States in Social Policy. Journal of European Social Policy, 14(3), 301-318. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928704044625.
- Blauberger, S. and Schmidt, S. K. (2014). Welfare migration? Free movement of EU Citizens and access to social benefits, Research & Politics. 1(3), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2053168014563879.
- Fenwick, C. (2019). The political economy of immigration and welfare state effort: Evidence from Europe. European Political Science Review, 11(3), 357-375. https://doi.org/10.1017/S175577391900016X.
- Burgoon, B. (2014). Immigration, Integration, and Support for Redistribution in Europe. World Politics , 66(3), 365-405.
Specific Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the key features of intra-EU mobility.
- Understand the main theories in academic research in the field of immigration and the welfare state.
- Build and defend well-grounded arguments regarding the political and economic implications that immigration poses for EU welfare states.
Lecturer Profile
Clare Fenwick is a postdoctoral researcher in Political Economy. Her research focuses on better understanding how uncertainty in the labour market affects voters’ policy and party preferences in Europe, and how this in-turn leads to consequences for European welfare states and socio-economic outcomes in general. Clare’s work is supported by inter-disciplinary collaborations from within the School of Business and Economics (Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market, ROA) and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (Department of Political Science). Clare’s PhD from the Department of Economics, Leiden University was a part of the multidisciplinary research project ‘SOLID: solidarity under strain – A legal, criminological and economic analysis of welfare states and free movement in the EU’ and examined the ways in which immigration structurally challenges and changes the organisation and conceptual boundaries of national welfare states in Europe. Her paper ‘The political economy of immigration and welfare state effort: Evidence from Europe’ was awarded Leiden Law School’s 2020 Meijer’s Prize for best published article. Clare worked in International Development on parliamentary strengthening programmes to improve the functioning of Parliaments and policy processes in countries such as Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan. Additionally, she studied the double degree MSc Public Policy and Human Development with a specialisation in Migration Studies at the United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) & Maastricht Graduate School of Governance (MGSoG).
What is the YUFE Academy?
Working on Europe YUFE Academy is a series of student-based, research-centred lectures jointly organised by the Maastricht University and Studio Europa Maastricht under the Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) alliance. Even though the program was developed with students in mind, you do not have to be a student to participate in the lectures, everyone is welcome to join!
The upcoming lecture series aims to provide unique and interdisciplinary research on Europe and European integration. Fostered through a proactive and critical debate, students will be engaged in exploring the most relevant concerns of the European Project and discover their role in shaping its future.
This year’s programme will feature five interconnected, two-hour sessions. The aim of the academy is to introduce the students to the topics of European inequalities, citizens’ participation and heritage, executive federalism, migration, and welfare. Enrolled students will be able to attend all lectures or participate in individual lectures that are of interest to them.
Registration
Students must register to individual lectures using the following button
RegisterParticipation is free of charge.
The registration portal will be open until September 10, 2021.
The number of participants is limited to 150.
