Why Do States Develop Multi-tier Emigrant Policies? Evidence from Egypt

Gerasimos Tsourapas*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Why do states vary their policies towards their citizens abroad, and why are some emigrant groups treated preferentially to others? The literature on the politics of international migration has yet to explore this as a separate field of inquiry, assuming that states adopt a single policy that encourages, sustains or prevents emigration abroad. Yet, in the case of Egypt, the state developed a multi-tiered policy that distinctly favoured specific communities abroad over others. I hypothesise that policy differentiation is based upon the perceived utility of the emigrant group remaining abroad versus the utility of its return. This utility is determined by two factors: the sending state’s domestic political economy priorities and its foreign policy objectives.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2192-2214
Number of pages23
JournalJournal of Ethnic and Migration Studies
Volume41
Issue number13
Early online date8 Jul 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Nov 2015

Keywords

  • Diaspora Policy
  • Egyptian Migrants
  • Emigration
  • Middle East
  • Sending State

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Demography
  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)

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