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Political Economy of Immigration

Key information

  • Module code:

    5SSPP243

  • Level:

    5

  • Semester:

      Spring

  • Credit value:

    15

Module description

Why do people move from one country to another, and what are the economic and political implications of the movement of people? This module will introduce students to the economics of immigration; how and why people decide to migrate; what the impacts of migration are on labour markets, public services, and other aspects of the countries to which they move; and what drives public attitudes and political decisions on immigration management and control. It will also examine the evolution of "free movement" within the EU, its impact on the Brexit referendum, and where next for UK immigration policy.

This module is primarily empirical (covering the causes and effects of immigration and of attitudes to immigration) rather than normative (ethical questions about the desirability or undesirability of immigration from a philosophical perspective). N.B. This module does not require specific economics training, merely a basic grasp of statistics.

Assessment details

1,500-word essay (50%) & 2-hour online exam (50%) 

Educational aims & objectives

This module will give students:

  • an understanding of the basic economics of immigration, and in particular the analogy between immigration and trade;
  • an understanding of how immigration affects economic and social policy across a range of issues, including the labour market, public services, and taxation;
  • knowledge of techniques for estimating the impact of immigration;
  • a critical appreciation of debates about the political economy of immigration;
  • an understanding of the development of free movement in the EU and its impact e.g. on the Brexit debate;
  • understanding of the economic and political aspects of the refugee crisis.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, student should be able to:

  • explain the key drivers of immigration flows;
  • describe the empirical evidence about the impact of immigration on the labour market, public services and other aspects of the economy and society;
  • critically analyse political attitudes to immigration, e.g. with respect to Brexit and the EU.

Department

Module description disclaimer

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.