Despite a rapidly expanding literature in the last decade, the question of
migration remains a neglected area of research in IPE, global political eco
nomy and political geography. In addressing this deficiency, this article s
eeks to contribute to the growing debate over the links between 'globalizat
ion', IPE and the geopolitical economy of migration. Rather than the more '
traditional' focus of LPE, I attempt to integrate different political-econo
mic scales of analysis (from the regional to the international). Drawing up
on an analysis of North African (Maghrebin) migrant workers in the Paris au
tomobile industry, I argue that, first, globalization needs to be placed in
historical context in terms of the international/global political economy
of migration. Second, I maintain the need to understand migration as a stra
tegic issue within international political economy. Third, I argue that the
national state is still relevant as a geopolitical economic 'lens' on the
contemporary globalization of migration. And fourth, I suggest the presence
of what I call a 'spatial vent'. This describes the forced and/or encourag
ed repatriation of migrant workers to partially diffuse threats to accumula
tion and legitimation generated by reconciling economic imperatives (indust
rial and labour market restructuring) with the political, social and cultur
al priorities of the French state (French 'republicanism' and 'universalism
'). The 'spatial vent' is considered to be one means of grasping the territ
oriality of capitalism.