This book challenges dominant narratives about migration by arguing that much of what politicians, media, and the public believe is based on myths rather than evidence.
Drawing on decades of research, de Haas shows that migration is not at unprecedented levels, nor is it primarily driven by poverty, crisis, or chaos. Instead, migration is a normal and stable part of global social and economic development, shaped by opportunity, inequality, and long-term structural change.
The book criticizes both pro- and anti-immigration perspectives for oversimplifying the issue and promoting misleading claims.
It also argues that many government policies fail because they are based on incorrect assumptions about how migration works, often producing unintended consequences like increased illegal migration.
Ultimately, the book calls for a more evidence-based, nuanced understanding of migration to improve public debate and create more effective policy.
Hein de Haas argues that the entire immigration debate is built on a flawed understanding of how migration actually works.
Rather than being an uncontrollable crisis driven primarily by poverty or chaos, migration is a stable and long-standing global pattern, with roughly 3% of the world’s population living outside their country of birth.