Contradictions of international migration in terms of political economy
Authors: Josifidis Kosta , Losonc Alpar , Supic Novica 
Published: January 2017

The political economy approach that entails critical arguments in relation to
the processes of migration in neoliberal terms is developed in the paper.
Starting with the account that migration covers as broad issues as politics,
economics and population dynamic, the authors address the issue of migration
in the political economy circuits of neoliberalization. In fact, the main
line of argument is connected to the political economy as the relevant
discursive frame and explanatory principle for the articulation of the
complexity of migration. Critical arguments relating to the processes of
migration in the neoliberal context thematize the mechanism of implemented
flexibilisation and deregulation of labor. Demographic dynamics is essential
in this context, but the authors intend to identify those political economy
processes that lead to high precariousness, to various forms of temporary
labor which are closely associated with forced labor forms. The category of
forced labor is emphasized in the contemporary forms of migration, because
this mode of labor facilitates the migration throughout the world.
Furthermore, the authors point out the contradictory position of the state in
relation to the migration-processes and analyse the authoritarian statism.
This argumentation leads to articulation of the contradictory position of
neoliberalization. The neoliberal discourses bring out the critical stance
concerning the supremacy of the state, but it plays a key role in the
regulation of migration. The state exposed to migration is faced with the
contradictory demands. The globalization indicates the world without borders
but is faced with the same contradictions. It is no coincidence that the
intention of the reconceptualizations of globalization are interested in
promoting global public goods. The processes of privatization in the sphere
of the regulation of migration sharpen the contradictions of migration in the
context of neoliberalization. The political economy approach is faced with
the tension between the two approaches. The first proposed regulation and
workforce management at the supranational level. The other remains in the
framework of ?methodological nationalism?: the appropriate starting point is
the national state. Given the fact that structural inequalities should be
recognized at a global level, and that processes of migration show that there
is a certain hierarchical global flow in the context of the dynamics of
workforce, the first approach proves to be inadequate. In other words, the
second approach could not articulate the relevant tendencies. Accordingly,
the political economy approach that intends to include complex determination
regarding the migration should integrate the national trends in the
supranational framework. But, proper research should take into account that
globalization and its complex order consist of a number of interventions and
interferences. This means that the aforementioned approach must develop
sufficiently complex methodology in order to articulate its selected subject.