Regulation of migrant entrepreneurship: The strained conjunction of laws, policies and practices

Abstract

We are struck by a curious paradox: the flourishing discourse on migrant entrepreneurship is replete with references to the regulatory environment; yet the precise ways in which regulations exert influence is rarely spelt out. This task is all the more urgent because policymakers are alighting on the fact that migrants often turn to self‐employment to make their way in destination societies. Yet, the extent to which regulations – comprising laws and governmental and non‐governmental policy measures and practices – is poorly understood. This special section aims at filling this gap by adopting a theoretically informed analytical perspective to understand the role of regulation in migrant entrepreneurship. Articles in this special section analyse the nature of laws, policies and practices, the factors of success/failure of these, the role of governmental and non‐governmental actors, and the effect of different welfare regimes and governance conditions.