About the Mixed Migration Review 2024
While presenting a wide-ranging global review that keeps track of mixed migration events and policy developments over the year, the Mixed Migration Review 2024 will offer a deep dive into politics of mixed migration and the salience of migration issues in politics.
In this extraordinary year of elections almost half the world’s population in more than 80 countries headed to the polls in 2024, including some of the richest and most powerful, the most populous, the most authoritarian and the most devastated and fragile countries. The scale is unprecedented, but so is the salience of migration politics in the mix in many of these countries. This year’s Mixed Migration Review explores the interwoven relationship involving politics and migration through interviews with critical global and regional thinkers and practitioners in the sector, expert essays and thematic snapshots spotlighting specific issues and through in-depth and personal migrant stories.
This year’s essays will look at how the migration question is often a convenient ‘crisis’ for some – advancing their political agenda through the instrumentalization of migration in both domestic and international politics, often with far-reaching consequences for migrants. In particular, we look at the dependency of rising populism globally on maintaining the migration ‘threats’, and also explore the role of the modern media systems in creating and maintaining migration narratives which in turn directly impact public opinion and voting behaviour. Another essay explores the fact that while political structures are deployed and increasingly dedicated to restricting asylum space and reducing migration, the growing necessity for countries to meet rising labour shortages with migrants is unavoidable. Five shorter essays from young writers participating in this year’s essay competition will offer unique regional perspectives on migration and politics. MMC’s 4Mi data featuring in this year’s report will bring compelling evidence to challenge some myths and misconceptions that continue to persist in public and political debate and narratives on migration.
As always, the Mixed Migration Review 2024 will also document the best and worst behaviour by authorities in relation to mixed migration in the annual “Resisting and Normalising the Extreme” features.