Regional social integration and free movement across borders: the role of social policy in enabling and preventing access to social entitlements by cross-border movers. Europe and Southern Africa compared

Deacon, Bob and Nita, Sonja, (2013). Regional social integration and free movement across borders: the role of social policy in enabling and preventing access to social entitlements by cross-border movers. Europe and Southern Africa compared. Regions and Cohesion, 3(1), 32-61

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Deacon, Bob
    Nita, Sonja
    Title Regional social integration and free movement across borders: the role of social policy in enabling and preventing access to social entitlements by cross-border movers. Europe and Southern Africa compared
    Appearing in Regions and Cohesion   Check publisher's open access policy
    Volume 3
    Issue No. 1
    Publication Date 2013/03/01
    Place of Publication Biggleswade
    Publisher Berghahn Journals
    Start page 32
    End page 61
    Language eng
    Abstract Social policies are central to regional social integration. This article addresses this with the European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It considers the part that access to social security, social assistance, health and education services play in facilitating free movement within regions. The article shows that in the EU the formal reality of free movement is substantially curtailed by problems with the portability of and access to social benefits. In SADC migrants' access to social protection and social services show remarkable similarity to the EU. Access to social assistance is missing in both regions for some movers. Given the symbolic nature of the �no recourse to public funds for migrants� mantra of national social policies in both regions the article concludes that a policy and funding response at the regional or even global level is required if regional social integration is to be enhanced through social policy.
    UNU Topics of Focus Migration
    Keyword European union
    Free movement
    Migration
    Regional social policy
    Social protection
    Copyright Year 2013
    ISSN 2152-9078
    DOI 10.3167/reco.2013.030103
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    Created: Wed, 11 Dec 2013, 12:52:04 JST