Richard Alba, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University at Albany, SUNY, reviews Selecting by Origin: Ethnic Migration in the Liberal State. The book is about the selection criteria in immigration policies of liberal states. For example, states often prefer highly skilled or educated immigrants who would strengthen the nation, yet there is also a tendency to prefer descendants of citizens or those with common ethnicity. The author uses historical examples from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, and Spain.

Read the book review at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7379.2006.00025_5.x.