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What Do We Know and What Should We Do About Immigration?
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What Do We Know and What Should We Do About Immigration?



July 2019 | 104 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
"A short, sharp and compelling book." The Observer

At a time when immigration has once again become a deeply contentious political issue, Jonathan Portes provides some much-needed clarity, taking on misinformation and inaccurate reporting to reveal the true economic and social impact of immigration to the UK.

This important book covers a short history of immigration to the UK, uses the latest research and data to summarise how it is financially beneficial to the economy, considers it's positive effects on contemporary society, and provides straightforward answers to commonly asked questions such as: does immigration push down wages? Does it reduce job opportunities for those born in the UK? And what impact does it have on the NHS and other public services? Portes then proposes what we should do about immigration, defining what a post-Brexit system should look like, and outlining what, if anything, we should do to promote integration further.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The ‘What Do We Know and What Should We Do About...?' series offers readers short, up-to-date overviews of key issues often misrepresented, simplified or misunderstood in modern society and the media. Each book is written by a leading social scientist with an established reputation in the relevant subject area. The Series Editor is Professor Chris Grey, Royal Holloway, University of London

 
1. Introduction
 
Background
 
3. What Do We Know About Immigration: Economics
 
4. What Do We Know: About Immigration Beyond Economics
 
5. What Should We Do About Immigration
 
6. Conclusion
 
Appendix A: The East African Asians
 
Appendix B: Emigration - The Impacts on Countries of Origin
 
Appendix C: Free Movement in the EU

A short, sharp and compelling book. The message of the book is clear – in a war of competing narratives, the line on immigration pedalled by the rightwing press cannot be allowed to stand. An ideological battle must be fought with facts and stories that counter the dominant representation of migrants as a threat to economic stability and societal cohesion.

Alex Preston, The Observer

Concise, precise, beautifully designed, illustrated and written. If you want to learn a lot about what matters most, in as short a time as possible, this is the series for you.

Danny Dorling, Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography, University of Oxford

This highly accessible but scholarly series which sees leading social scientists in the UK tackle some of the key issues facing us all today is exactly the sort of publication the Academy of Social Sciences has encouraged over the years. Congratulations to SAGE on bringing it out.

Roger Goodman, Chair, Academy of Social Sciences