Listen now | In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hein de Haas about migration and many of the myths surrounding immigration. They discuss why immigration is a major issues globally and its connection with nationalism, distinctions between immigration, emigration, asylum seekers, and refugees, and how migration is not at an all-time high. They also talk about internal/external migration, borders, labor demand in the USA, low-skilled vs. high-skilled workers, refugee crisis, hypocrisy on the political left and right, future of migration, and many more topics.
I listened to the episode and have to say that I’m a tad disappointed that you didn’t really do your job as an interviewer and offer much push back, especially with Hein’s claim about “immigration not having increased particularly in recent times”.
I find it strange that he purposefully attributes a different meaning to this statement so that he can repeatedly make it. For context, when a Dutch person exclaims that immigration seems to be increasing rapidly, he is not referring to global migration flows in the broadest conception, but to IN-migration of non-Europeans (primarily North Africans, Middle Eastern Arabs, and sub-Saharan Black Africans) into the country. One may insert platitudes into the discussion such as “immigration is of all ages and time periods”, but that ignores the contemporary context. You job as an interviewer is to dig deeper. To call out the disingenuous use of language.
And as a side note, it behoves someone in your position to be wary of the activist nature of professors such as Hein de Haas. Not that you shouldn’t interview him on that basis, but you should make clear to listeners that his stance is not one of disinterested academic pursuit.
All in all a bit disappointing and insulting to the intelligence of listeners.
I listened to the episode and have to say that I’m a tad disappointed that you didn’t really do your job as an interviewer and offer much push back, especially with Hein’s claim about “immigration not having increased particularly in recent times”.
I find it strange that he purposefully attributes a different meaning to this statement so that he can repeatedly make it. For context, when a Dutch person exclaims that immigration seems to be increasing rapidly, he is not referring to global migration flows in the broadest conception, but to IN-migration of non-Europeans (primarily North Africans, Middle Eastern Arabs, and sub-Saharan Black Africans) into the country. One may insert platitudes into the discussion such as “immigration is of all ages and time periods”, but that ignores the contemporary context. You job as an interviewer is to dig deeper. To call out the disingenuous use of language.
And as a side note, it behoves someone in your position to be wary of the activist nature of professors such as Hein de Haas. Not that you shouldn’t interview him on that basis, but you should make clear to listeners that his stance is not one of disinterested academic pursuit.
All in all a bit disappointing and insulting to the intelligence of listeners.
Appreciate you listening and taking the time to comment your thoughts and opinions.