Introduction: the changing politics and policies of migration in Germany

Not only is Germany one of the principal destinations for immigration in Europe, but its policies and politics have also evolved substantially over the past half-century. This introduction argues that the time is now right to bring back the national perspective into the study of migration, but to do so from a cross-disciplinary perspective. The article provides a context for the contributions within this volume by setting out some key turning points in the development of this area, as well as pinpointing the contradictory nature of the challenges facing policy-makers.