Beyond a Border: The Causes and Consequences of Contemporary Immigration

The most up-to-date analysis of today’s immigration issues


As the authors state in Chapter 1, “the movement of people across national borders represents one of the most vivid dramas of social reality in the contemporary world.” This comparative text examines contemporary immigration across the globe, focusing on 20 major nations. Noted scholars Peter Kivisto and Thomas Faist introduce students to important topics of inquiry at the heart of the field, including

Movement: Explores the theories of migration using a historical perspective of the modern world.
Settlement: Provides clarity concerning the controversial matter of immigrant incorporation and refers to the varied ways immigrants come to be a part of a new society.
Control: Focuses on the politics of immigration and examines the role of states in shaping how people choose to migrate.

Key Features
-Provides comprehensive coverage of topics not covered in other texts, such as state and immigration control, focusing on policies created to control migratory flow and evolving views of citizenship
-Offers a global portrait of contemporary immigration, including a demographic overview of today’s cross-border movers
-Offers critical assessments of the achievements of the field to date
-Encourages students to rethink traditional views about the distinction between citizen and alien in this global age
-Suggests paths for future research and new theoretical developments