The debate between transnationalism and methodological nationalism as a theoretical frame to understand the role of employment for immigration management in Spain

The debate between methodological nationalism and transnationalism offers many theoretical opportunities for migration studies. In this paper, we describe the contributions that this debate provides for understanding the governance of migration within the Spanish autonomous state system. We analyse the governance of migration at the state level, the regional level, and the local (provincial) level. We focus on the role of employment in the governance of migration, highlighting its meaning and its relevance for the three essential pillars of migration policy: control, integration, and development cooperation. Using qualitative methodology (grounded theory) we discuss immigration-foreigner laws at the state level, and social integration plans at the regional level. At the local or provincial level we conduct a quantitative analysis on the basis of official statistic resources (Labor Force Survey).