1 / 15

The Migration-Asylum Nexus Definition and significance

The Migration-Asylum Nexus Definition and significance. Notes from a lecture by Stephen Castles and Nick Van Hear Oxford University, COMPASS, 27 Jan 2005 http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/. What is the 'migration-asylum' nexus.

liza
Download Presentation

The Migration-Asylum Nexus Definition and significance

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Migration-Asylum Nexus Definition and significance Notes from a lecture by Stephen Castles and Nick Van Hear Oxford University, COMPASS, 27 Jan 2005 http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/

  2. What is the 'migration-asylum' nexus • Growing difficulty in separating between forced and economic migration • Closely related causes of forced and economic migration • Increasing similarities in the migratory process for both categories • Common responses: lack of differentiation between asylum seekers and irregular migrants

  3. 'Category jumping': Examples • Portuguese workers in France - 1960s Refugees from fascism Use of people smugglers Regularisation as workers If workers are needed, employers and governments don't care if they are refugees • Burmese in Thailand • Acehnese in Malaysia

  4. A global problem: forced migration (2003-4) Refugees (1951 Convention definition) 9.7 million (recognised by UNHCR) Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) 25 m (13 m of them in Africa) Development Induced Displacement 10 million a year (World Bank) Environmental change and disasters Numbers unknown

  5. Towards a political economy of forced migration • Globalisation: the North-South Gap • Selective inclusion and exclusion in global economy: 'disconnection' • Trade, investment and development • Trade in small arms, conflict diamonds etc. • 'Reconnection' of South and North through ”unwanted' flows and networks • Migration as a form of 'reconnection'

  6. The migration-asylum nexus in the South: macro-level • Links between poverty, weak states, human rights abuse and conflict • Complex emergencies lead to many types of displacement • Internal displacement often means impoverishment - and further migration • Conflict prevents development - causes economic migration • Many migrants have multiple motivations

  7. Political economy of forced migration in the South: micro level Approaches: Commodity chain analysis Livelihood studies Examples: Conflict diamonds in Sierra Leone Cobalt mining in DR Congo Afghanistan: survival in enduring conflict The role of arms trafficking

  8. The MAN in Countries of first asylum and transit Thailand: new industrial country with: labour emigration and immigration refugee inflows Malaysia: Indonesian and Filipino labour - often really refugees Tanzania: less-developed country with: Long-standing and diverse refugee population Strains of long-term support

  9. The migration-asylum nexus in the process of mobility • Category jumping as a rational strategy • Policies as 'opportunity structures' • Migration barriers (visas, carrier sanctions, safe third countries, buffer zones) - create demand for the 'migration industry' • The importance of migration networks • Irregular movement may lead to long-term irregularity

  10. The nexus between asylum and irregular migration in receiving countries - macro • Deterrent measures create incentives for irregular employment and residence • Irregular entry helps create networks for irregular work and life • Unmet labour demand for low-skilled workers encourages informal sector • Media-driven asylum panic leads to hypocritical asylum policies

  11. The micro-level: how does asylum affect local communities? • Local conflicts about asylum centres • Fears of 'cheap labour' in areas of social exclusion • Welfare challenges (e.g. assisting unaccompanied minors) • Destitution as challenge to local authorities • Dispersal, concentration and potential ethnic conflicts

  12. Migration from Sri Lanka • Elite/professionals • Students • Refugees and asylum seekers • Labour migration • Family reunion/foundation

  13. Tamils in the UK • Post independence 1948: professionals • From 1960s, discrimination and hardening ethnic nationalisms: students • From 198Os: conflict refugees and asylum seekers • 199Os: acceleration of asylum migration • From 2002: decline in asylum migration • Family reunion • From 2000: regrouping/relocation/secondary migration

  14. Consequences of the Migration-Asylum Nexus • Diversified migrant populations in host countries • Diversified migrant destinations: diasporisation • Proliferation and diversification of transnational linkages - Households at home have a portfolio of transnational resources - Diaspora households have a portfolio of obligations

  15. The future of the migration-asylum nexus • Era of asylum migration to affluent countries drawing to close • Asylum migration to middle income countries? • Other legal channels will continue: limited labour migration, family reunion, high skilled, students ... • Irregular migration will continue • Regrouping: eg movement from continental Europe to the UK • Containment of 'mixed migration' in regions of origin • In- region migration management: sorting migrants in regions of origin • Effects on diaspora formation, transnational links, and the global political economy?

More Related