Call for papers - The migration–security nexus from a transnational perspective

Organised by Dr Foteini Kalantzi and Dr Maria Koinova

 Thursday 21 February 2019 at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Currently more than 250 million migrants live outside their country of birth. It is expected that this number will rise because of population growth, climate change, growing inequality and increasing connectivity. At the same time, the changes in the balance of power in the geopolitical arena, massive displacement of people because of conflict and war create significant management challenges for states and the international community. Large numbers of people arrive at the shores of countries in the Mediterranean, refugees die at sea undertaking dangerous journeys and criminal networks exploit this situation.

There is also a growing reluctance by states to accept refugees, xenophobic rhetoric is on the rise and far-right populist anti-immigrant figures successfully convince publics of ill fortunes that immigrants might bring. In addition, there is a growing number of countries that refuse to sign the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, whose goal is to better manage migration at local, national, regional and global levels.

The intensification and militarisation of border controls in the Mediterranean, the operation of military forces, the use of ‘extraordinary measures’ and the expansion of detention centres presents new challenges to the migration governance in the EU and nation-states within and beyond it.

This workshop intends to focus on the global governance of migrants from the perspective of the migration-security nexus including its transnational dimension, examine the position of nation-states in the new challenges of globalisation and transnationalism, the growing securitisation of migration, and the changing role of NGOs, diasporas, and other non-state actors.

If you are interested, please send a paper abstract of 300 words maximum and a short bio of up to 300 words to Dr. Foteini Kalantzi (foteini.kalantzi@sant.ox.ac.uk) and Dr. Maria Koinova (m.koinova@warwick.ac.uk) by 7 January, 2019. The organisers will decide on accepted abstracts by 10 January 2019. Limited financial support will be available.