The Political Dynamics of Human Mobility: Migration out of, as and into Violence
| Date | 01 February 2017 |
| Published date | 01 February 2017 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12384 |
The Political Dynamics of Human Mobility:
Migration out of, as and into Violence
Andr
e Bank
German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg
Christiane Fr€
ohlich
University of Hamburg
Andrea Schneiker
University of Siegen
Abstract
Simplistic correlations between human mobility and political violence are on the rise in the European discourse on immigra-
tion, especially –but not only –in populist rhetoric. This not only lacks an empirical foundation, but also leads to simplistic
solutions for a major political and humanitarian challenge of our time. However, we still lack comprehensive knowledge on
the migration-violence nexus. By bringing insights from migration studies and peace and conflict studies into fruitful dialogue,
this contribution aims to fill this gap. It first maps some of the central questions regarding the migration-violence nexus. Sec-
ond, and on this basis, it proposes an analytical framework for future research which encompasses the interdependence of
violence-migration dynamics on and between the macro, meso and micro levels by examining human mobility as: (1) a move-
ment out of (physical and structural) violence; (2) a violent process in and of itself; (3) a path into (physical and structural) vio-
lence; and (4) it formulates some recommendations that can provide a more holistic basis for policy programmes regarding
human mobility.
Policy Implications
•Violence does not stop in the moment a migrant manages to leave a war or conflict zone. Policy measures that aim to
help migrants need to reflect migration as a movement out of violence, but also as a violent practice in and of itself and
potentially as a movement into violence.
•Humanitarian aid efforts aiming to help migrants can have unintended consequences, like perpetuating pre-existing violent
structures or even creating new ones. More knowledge is needed to better understand the make-up of migrant groups, the
reasons for and direction of migration, and the violence inherent in the migrant experience.
•It is crucial to reflect on the concept of security underlying policy responses to (im)migration. What or who is to be
secured? Is it the populations of destination states or the migrants? The answers to these questions determine policy
responses and whether they help the most vulnerable or cater to domestic politics in potential receiving states.
•When designing migration policies, it is key to honour the intersectional differences existing in any given group of
migrants. The experiences and needs of female migrants, unaccompanied minors, elderly or sick migrants, young male
migrants, etc. are radically different and this needs to be reflected in migration policies.
•There is no empirical evidence for the assumption that the migrants currently reaching or hoping to reach Europe are a
danger to European security. They are not ‘refugee warriors’, but war refugees.
•Migration policies should not only focus on those already on the move, but also on those who may want to move due to
political, social, demographic, economic and ecological hardships at home, but who do not have the resources or opportu-
nity to. These trapped populations are the most vulnerable parts of any given society and need to be accounted for in
policy making.
The migration-violence nexus in current public
discourse
In Europe today, the complexity of human mobility is often
reduced in public discourse, with simplistic connections
being made between migration and political violence. First
of all, it is a common claim that the root causes for current
migration movements, especially from the Middle East or
Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, lie at the meso
level, for example when people flee from a repressive
authoritarian regime, or at the macro level, that is, when
people are leaving their home countries due to droughts
©2016 University of Durham and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Global Policy (2017) 8:Suppl.1 doi: 10.1111/1758-5899.12384
Global Policy Volume 8 . Supplement 1 . February 2017
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