The state-civil society relationship to migration policy is an area both largely unexplored and little understood in current scholarly literature. Laura González-Murphy offers a timely analysis of the changing role played by civil society in the formulation and implementation of government policies in general and migration policy in particular.
Using Mexico as her primary case study because of the recent impact of immigrants on its legislation and the historical evolution of its institutions, González-Murphy details the ways that civil society has become a participant in immigration policy changes, including Mexico’s new migration law. Mexico’s experience is also closely compared with countries presently experiencing similar immigration and political dynamics, such as Spain and Italy. The extensive interviews with Mexican civil society actors and government officials that González-Murphy has conducted during the last few years enable her thorough understanding of the state-civil society relationship in Mexico. The book closes with an examination of what the Mexican experience contributes to our understanding of the actors, processes, issues, and obstacles involved in migration policy development.
Protecting Immigrant Rights in Mexico will offer scholars as well as policy makers and civil society actors a greater understanding of the domestic and international political issues and constraints that shape immigration policy making and its implementation.
List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgments
Section I : Background
Introduction : Mexico, a Country of Immigration?
Chapter 1 : Who Are Mexico’s Immigrants?
Chapter 2 : Mexico’s Immigration Policy in Perspective : Initiating a "Friendly Gates" Policy
Section II : Civil Society Flourishes
Chapter 3 : Civil Society From the Mexican Perspective
Chapter 4 : The State–Civil Society Nexus on Immigration Policy
Chapter 5 : Civil Society’s Key Achievement : The New Migration Law of 2011
Section III : Comparison and Final Reflections
Chapter 6 : Immigration and Civil Society in Spain and Italy : A Comparison With Mexico
Chapter 7 : Conclusion and Final Remarks
Appendix A : Interviewees
Appendix B : Frequently Used Acronyms/Abbreviations
Appendix C : Frequently Used Translations
Notes
References
Index
