Level Playing Field as a social policy instrument: towards a Level Telling Field on migration

We are pleased to alert you to ISS working paper 730, Level Playing Field as a social policy instrument: towards a Level Telling Field on migration, by M. Messkoub.

Abstract

Level playing field (LPF) as a sporting metaphor for a fair competition has been widely used in different social spheres (e.g., economy, education, politics) to invoke the need for the setting up of common rules to achieve the objective of the equality of opportunity for all. This is about the condition of symmetry of rules in LPF. However, if we were to be interested in the equality of a ‘fair’ outcome not only the rules must be the same for everybody, people’s individual and socio-economic characteristics should also be taken into account. This is about the condition of asymmetry of characteristics in LPF. In applying these conditions to different social spheres of economy and international trade (e.g. EU), education, discrimination in the labour market and digital media, this paper notes that whilst symmetry of rules is the necessary condition for a LPF, asymmetry of characteristics is the sufficient condition for achieving a ‘fair’ outcome for the participants.

Moving from a LPF to a fair dialogue and a level telling field (LTF), we note that in general in a LTF people should have the freedom to express themselves in all areas of human activities. This is equivalent to having an equal opportunity – symmetry of rules – in a LPF; that is as much about rights as it is about rules/laws against discrimination and going beyond a culture of tolerance and work towards understanding and coexistence. To achieve a fair dialogue and a LTF on migration, as the key objective the OPPORTUNITIES project, several questions should be addressed: would voices of migrants (as they narrate their stories) and their advocates be heard, listened to, be taken note of and above all be acted upon? These are all about the social space migrants and their advocates have to narrate their stories. These questions are in part related to the nexus of language and policy. The equality of outcome of a narrative is partly about popularity of stories. Popular stories, for the wrong as well as right reasons, shape public opinion and pave the way to changes in attitude, working relationships/practices, policies, etc. These are all part and parcel of the issue of the equality of outcome of a LTF.

In conclusion, by extending the concept of LPF to a LTF on the narrative of migration we are confronted with similar challenges of symmetry of rules and asymmetry of characteristics. The former sets the rules and creates the space for a democratic debate where different voices can be heard. Considering the asymmetry of characteristics inherent in any applications of LPF, in order to achieve some degree of equality of outcome a LTF has to lead to actions, laws, policies etc., to support migrants’ human and social rights.