Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to search

Political Science Comparative Politics

Immigration and the Politics of Welfare Exclusion

Selective Solidarity in Western Democracies

by (author) Edward A. Koning

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Apr 2019
Category
Comparative Politics, General, General
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781487504663
    Publish Date
    Mar 2019
    List Price
    $93.00
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781487523428
    Publish Date
    Mar 2019
    List Price
    $41.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781487530662
    Publish Date
    Apr 2019
    List Price
    $41.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

Why do some governments try to limit immigrants’ access to social benefits and entitlements while others do not? Through an in-depth study of Sweden, Canada, and the Netherlands, Immigration and the Politics of Welfare Exclusion maps the politics of immigrants’ social rights in Western democracies. To achieve this goal, Edward A. Koning analyzes policy documents, public opinion surveys, data on welfare use, parliamentary debates, and interviews with politicians and key players in the three countries.

 

Koning’s findings are three-fold. First, the politics of immigrant welfare exclusion have little to do with economic factors and are more about general opposition to immigration and multiculturalism. Second, proposals for exclusion are particularly likely to arise in a political climate that incentivizes politicians to appear "tough" on immigration. Finally, the success of anti-immigrant politicians in bringing about exclusionary reforms depends on the response of the political mainstream, and the extent to which immigrants’ rights are protected in national and international legal frameworks.

 

A timely investigation into an increasingly pressing subject, Immigration and the Politics of Welfare Exclusion will be essential reading for scholars and students of political science, comparative politics, and immigration studies.

About the author

Edward A. Koning is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph.

Edward A. Koning's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"Economic rationales do not support excluding immigrants from social benefits and services, argues Edward A. Koning in this compelling comparative study. Instead, politics and political logics explain why some countries go much further than others in reducing or eliminating immigrants’ access to social rights."

<em>Canadian Journal of Netherlandic Studies</em>