Stepping Out of the Brain Drain

Applying Catholic Social Teaching in a New Era of Migration

By (author) Michele R. Pistone, John J. Hoeffner

Publication date:

30 May 2007

Length of book:

260 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9780739115046

Stepping Out of the Brain Drain is an important contribution to the intensifying debate about highly skilled migration from developing to developed countries. Addressing the issue from the perspective of Catholic social thought, the authors demonstrate that both the economic and ethical rationales for the teaching's opposition to 'brain drain' have been undermined in recent years and show how the adoption of a less critical policy could provide enhanced opportunities for poor countries to accelerate their economic development.

Part 1 Definitions: The Scope of This Book, STEP OUT Migration: A New Term for Brain Drain, Catholic Social Teaching
Part 2 Catholic Social Thought and Immigration: The Openness of the Tradition and the Exception, Foundational Principles, Applying Human Dignity and the Common Good to Immigration
Part 3 Events and Understandings Influencing the Formation of the Church's STEP OUT Migration Policy: Political Developments, Developments in the Church
Part 4 The Case for STEP OUT Migration: An Overview, A History of Accentuating the Negative, The Importance of Modern Technology and Globalization
Part 5 The Contributions of STEP OUT Migrants: International Knowledge Transfers, Monetary Transfers, Technology Development and Transfer
Part 6 The Encyclicals of Pope John Paul II and Their Implications: Work in Catholic Social Thought, Human Dignity and STEP OUT Migration
Part 7 Next Steps: Recommendations, Conclusion
Part 8 Appendix A: Catholic Social Teaching and Political Discourse
Part 9 Appendix B: A Short History of the American Catholic Church's Programmatic Support for Immigrant Communities

Stepping Out of the Brain Drain is important not only because it offers a timely summary of the Catholic teaching on migration and a persuasive challenge to one aspect of that teaching, but also because it offers a model for how lay persons can effectively help the social teaching remain sensitive to the 'signs of the times' as events unfold. The book abundantly evidences its authors' great respect for Catholic social teaching, as well as their great understanding of it and the context in which existing policy developed.