Colonial Legacy and Contemporary Immigration Policy: Analyzing the Shift in UK Visa Policy toward Former Colonies since 1985
Nyaoga, Sibi M.
2023
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Over time, the visa policy of rich Western countries has become more restrictive. This thesis explores the reasons behind the increasing restrictiveness of United Kingdom immigration policy towards some former colonies while granting visa-free entry to others. It argues that the policy is motivated by the desire to prevent mass immigration, resulting in a racially motivated outcome. The study ... read moreanalyzes the historical context and factors such as population size, conflict, and kinship links to understand the implicitly racialized treatment of former colonies. By focusing on short-term visa policy, the research sheds light on the UK's efforts to control long-term migration. This study finds that nationals from former colonies with a larger population size or a history of conflict are more likely to require a visa for short-term travel while those from colonies with 'kinship links' are less likely to require a visa for short-term travel. The author uses Southern Africa, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea as case studies to understand the role of kinship and conflict in visa restrictions. The findings contribute to discussions on global inequality, racialized immigration regimes, and the relationship between immigration policy and colonial legacy.
Thesis (B.A.)--Tufts University, 2023.
Submitted to the Dept. of Political Science.
Advisor: Pearl T. Robinson, Abiodun Williams.read less - ID:
- vt150z819
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