The Political Science of Immigration Policies

Abstract

Understanding the political, ideological, and institutional forces that shape immigration and immigration policy is of increasing importance to social service providers and their clients. Though still in its infancy, political science literature provides a unique lens through which immigration policy can be better understood. Literature on the theories and concepts that political scientists use to explain immigration and resulting public policies was examined. Specific attention was given to normative, critical, post-modern, and political geographic theories used by political scientists to analyze immigration policy.

KEYWORDS:

• Immigration
• political science
• political theory
• public policy
• social services