Effectiveness of the European Union Investing in the Country of Origin

Conceptual and Methodological Chapter
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Conceptual and Methodological Chapter
Key Information
Research question
“What is the effectiveness of the European Union investing in the country of origin to reduce irregular migration?
Research Statement
This research aims at evaluating the effectiveness of the European Union (EU) on the country of origin as a strategy to reduce irregular migration. Taking the Republic of Cyprus as the case study, the investigation seeks to demonstrate the negative implications of irregular migrants to the EU member countries. In particular, the study will demonstrate whether investing in the country of origin is a viable option.
Research objectives
1 To establish the effectiveness of EU investing in the country of origin as a way of reducing irregular migrants
2 To determine the factors that force irregular migrants to leave their home countries and to the EU
3 To establish the factors that attract irregular immigrants to the EU
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework for the study is guided by the concept of irregular migration and its root causes. The issue of irregular migration has become a major issue in the past few years, particularly in Europe, where the number of irregular migrants has increased sharply (Natter, 2015). Researchers trace the root causes of irregular migration to several factors including political stability, economic challenges, and abject poverty. Irregular migrants from fewer-income countries move to other countries, especially Europe to escape economic challenges in their home countries. However, restrictive policies in the countries of destination exist, which make it challenging for migrants to follow the laid down legal channels. As a result, migrants follow dangerous and illegal routes to access European countries, which significantly risks their lives (Kuschminder, Bresser and Siegel, 2015). In response to the problem of irregular migrants, the EU seeks ways to address the issue. A proposed solution is addressing the underlying factors in supporting development activities in the countries of origin (Clemens and Postel, 2018). However, the effectiveness of investing in the countries of origin to minimize irregular migration has been widely discussed. On the one hand, some see the approach as effective in addressing the root cause of irregular migration, since it empowers these countries to create opportunities for their people. On the contrary, some see investing in the countries of origin as ineffective and having the possibility of unintended outcomes like supporting repressive regimes.
The theoretical framework will be based on the theory of the push-pull model. The model summarizes the motivations for migration by considering how the relationship between two points (origin and destination) is affected by push factors and pulls factors (Urbański, 2022). Push factors at the point of origin serve to trigger immigration. For instance, political persecution, lack of economic activities, and natural disasters push people from their origin (Parkins, 2010). Pull factors attract people to the destination. These include the availability of economic activities, pollical freedom, and the perception of a relatively benign environment (Parkins, 2010). Pushes and pulls are complimentary, implying that immigration occurs where the push is remediated by a pull at the destination. In the context of irregular migration, push factors occur due to economic changes leading to a lack of job opportunities in the countries of origin, while pull factors include the economic opportunities available in the receiving countries in the EU.
The theoretical framework guides the analysis by offering a lens throng which to examine the effectiveness of the EU investing in the countries of origin to reduce irregular migrants. The analysis will outline the push factors driving irregular migration from the countries of origin and establish if the EU’s investment in the same countries can address the issue.
Definition and Operationalization of Key Concepts
In this study, key concepts will be defined and operationalized as follows.
1 Irregular migration. The phrase refers to the movement of individuals across borders without authorization or documentation. Irregular migrants take the risk to move to another country, despite the risks involved along the way like the probability of sinking into the sea. Irregular migrants in this context refer to the movement of unauthorized people to the EU member countries. The irregular migrants will be individuals who have already moved to Cyprus while seeking a way into other EU member countries.
2 Country of origin. It refers to the country where irregular migrants reside before moving to another country. In this study, the country of origin will include all the countries where migrants originate. Irregular migrants come from different countries, often least developed nations. In such countries, economic challenges, political instability, and natural disasters make it challenging for people to leave well. As a result, they opt to move to other countries where they believe they can have better lives.
3 Invest meting into the country of origin. This is the provision of financial and technical support to the country of origin to address the factors that cause irregular migrants to move out in the first place. It entails investing in key areas like infrastructure development, health, and education to ensure that people in the country of origin have access to better lives. In this study, investing in the country of origin will entail the EU offering financial and technical support to address the issues that push people from their native countries.
4 Effectiveness. Effectiveness will be examining the extent to which the interventions attain the planned goals and objectives. The effectiveness will be established by considering the extent to which the EU investment in the country of origin will minimize irregular migration to the EU member countries. If the number of irregular migrants to Cyprus reduce, then the intention will be termed as successful.
5 Case study. Through a case study, investigators can undertake an in-depth analysis of an issue. In this study, the major focus will be on the Republic of Cyprus, which irregular migrants use to access the EU member countries. Focusing on Cyprus will allow the research to narrow it down to a single EU member country and demonstrate the effects of irregular migrants. This will assist in establishing the solutions needed to address the issue to ensure that more EU member countries are not adversely affected by irregular migrants.
The operationalization of the key concepts will be done by collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data will be obtained from official sources in Cyprus, other EU member countries, and the countries of origin. The qualitative data will be obtained by undertaking surveys with key stakeholders, civil society organizations, and irregular migrants currently in Cyprus. Using data from both quantitative and qualitative sources will make it possible to address the research questions more comprehensively. The qualitative data will be customized to address all the key concepts.
Methodological Framework
The problem of irregular migration is complex and requires a comprehensive way of addressing it. The methodological framework needs to be holistic to ensure that the study explores the possible possibilities. In this regard, rather than relying on a single method, the researcher will use a mixed methods approach. Overall, the research will be a case study focusing on irregular migration in the Republic of Cyprus. To obtain the data needed to answer the research question, a mixed methods approach will be utilized. The research will use both quantitative and qualitative data to establish the effectiveness of the EU investing in the country of origin as a measure of reducing irregular migration.
Quantitative data will come from official statistical sources. The data will be obtained from government sources in bo...