Migration and Europe: Toward a More Securitized Policy?

Although the issue of migration is almost as old as the humanity itself, in the recent decades it acquired new dimensions and started to become a source for concern for countries especially in the developed world or the so-called First World. There is an increasing tendency on the part of these countries to restrict the immigrant movements as much as possible and to take measures for the immigrant groups who were already settled in their countries in order to harmonize their culture, societal norms and values with that of the host society. This article will try to trace the tendencies in the policies of European countries toward immigrant groups and immigration in general and to understand the logic behind their attitudes. First, I will provide a theoretical framework on the basis of the approach of securitization developed by the Copenhagen School. Then I will examine the changing trends in the migration movements and the corresponding policies of the receiving countries. Second, I will try to analyze the German and Dutch cases by looking at the changes or tendencies toward change in these countries and the possible reasons for these tendencies. Finally, I will make some recommendations as to how to overcome the main problems and prejudices, to wit, I will make a case for desecuritizing the issue of migration.