Abstract

The presentation will describe how the International Migration Institute at Oxford University is trying to develop (1) new understandings of the relationship between globalisation, social transformation and migration; and (2) new ways of studying migration in Africa, through building transnational research networks.

The first theme involves a critique of the methodological nationalism, policy-centredness and receiving-country focus of dominant approaches in migration studies.  Neo-liberal globalisation policies have encouraged migration by bringing about major social transformations in both other and destination countries. A discussion of changing discourses on the migration-development relationship helps to reveal the close links between academic discourses and economic strategies of labour-importing countries. Examples include current debates on replacing ‘brain-drain’ with ‘brain-circulation’ and on ‘circular migration’ for lower-skilled workers. Policies of differentiation lead to preferential treatment for the highly skilled and exclusionary policies towards lower-skilled workers and refugees. The ‘sedentary bias’ in migration studies will be examined – that is the idea that development for the poor should take place at home. Against this, it may be argued (following Amartya Sen) that human mobility constitutes both an essential form of freedom and also an important way of developing human capacities. On this basis, attitudes towards migration need to be rethought. In particular, it becomes clear that development strategies are not a way of reducing migration, but could be a tool for ensuring safer forms of migration which bring economic and social benefits for migrants and their communities.

The second theme will focus on the situation of migration research in Africa, and on efforts to build collaborative networks to enhance the quality of research and to link African researchers to international modes of academic exchange and publication. I will discuss the work of the IMI’s African Migrations Programme in holding workshops for young African researchers and building researcher and publications databases. I will also report on the African Perspectives in Human Mobility Programme, in which we work with researchers in Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco and the DR Congo to develop joint, comparative studies.

Background material for this presentation includes:

IMI, Towards a New Agenda for International Migration Research

http://www.imi.ox.ac.uk/pdfs/a4-imi-research-agenda.pdf

Many of the working Papers on the IMI website: http://www.imi.ox.ac.uk/publications/working_papers

Stephen Castles, Development and Migration –Migration and Development: What comes first? http://www.imi.ox.ac.uk/pdfs/S%20Castles%20Mig%20and%20Dev%20for%20SSRC%20April%2008.pdf