The logic of policy recommendations based on research projects

The process of formulating policy recommendations is based on the main assumption that, among the main factors having an impact on migration processes – including the labour market, development gaps, demographic factors or international situations – a state's migration policy falls among the most influential. In other words, there exists a view that migration flows could be to some extent regulated through political measures (Brochmann & Hammar 1999; Boswell 2007; Cornelius, Tsuda, Martin & Hollifield 2004; Hollifield 2000).

In order to improve our understanding of the creative role of the state and its policies, a thorough analysis of the past and present status of migration processes in Europe is needed – one which includes their logic, course and consequences. Every immigration country has its own unique characteristics. What distinguishes one from the other is the country's history and tradition of immigration, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of its inflows and also the way the state reacts to the entry and settlement of newcomers. Moreover, every country is part of a regional, European and worldwide migration system. This means it is not only the national milieu that has to be taken into account, but also the wider international context (Gosh 2003; Lahav 2004).

Although the patterns of migration flows in Western, Southern and Eastern Europe in ‘old’, ‘new’ and ‘future’ immigration countries (see the Introduction and chapters 1 and 2 in this book) are hardly comparable in a direct way, all the countries experience similar challenges and face similar dilemmas related to controlling, managing and integrating newcomers. Exchanging national experiences improves common knowledge and historical understanding of the migration cycle with an internal logic. Since the cycle is experienced by every country, this information set is of priceless value for all states, especially those at the preliminary stages of the cycle.

Policy recommendations, as a relevant component of scientific knowledge, play a vital role in developing research-policy partnerships. Scientific analyses should supply some value added, not only by providing reliable data and expertise, but also by inspiring and supporting certain policy developments. Researchers’ role is not only to shed a light on social processes, but also to provoke critical reflection among policymakers and to propose alternative resolutions.