ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses the question of the extent to which the migrants’ children may be expected to step into their parents’ jobs. It analyzes the case of an emigration country with relatively strong central planning that has attempted with some success to control certain features of its emigration and that finally made its own unilateral decision to halt recruitment, based on a combination of economic and political considerations. The European case represents a large-scale experiment with one form of labor migration. The book illustrates the theoretical importance of analyzing the migration relationship between two countries in the context of other types of bilateral relationships, such as particular historical ties, and patterns of trade and aid. It analyzes a relevant case in Germany.
