MULTI-LAYERED MIGRATION GOVERNANCE IN ASIA - LESSONS FROM NEPAL AND THE PHILIPPINES

Abstract

As a transnational issue, migration cannot be solely governed at the domestic or international level and thus requires cooperation from different actors at multiple levels. To understand the complex nature of migration governance, this dissertation employs a holistic view using multi-layered migration governance approach to unpack migration governance mechanisms at the global, trans-regional and domestic levels. This is done though case studies of two Asian labour sending countries: Nepal and the Philippines with a network analysis of their domestic migration policy subsystem and their governance approaches regionally and internationally. This dissertation addresses the question of how network characteristics can explain variations in migration governance outcomes. This thesis argues that a collaborative domestic policy network results in policy coherence at different levels of migration governance and that trans-regional networks are avenues for policy learning and policy diffusion.