Migration and Politics: a Reality Check
Mixed Migration Review 2024
In a year shaped by a record number of elections worldwide, the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is releasing on December 5th its flagship annual report, the Mixed Migration Review (MMR), with a focus on migration and politics. This year’s report examines how migration narratives are shaped by electoral agendas, populism, and media systems, often driving policy decisions that deviate from evidence-based solutions. Across many regions, migration is increasingly instrumentalized for political gain, with misperceptions and misinformation fuelling fear, xenophobia, and the adoption of inhumane policies.
“More governments are resorting to border fortifications, detention and questionable migration deals with third countries – a tactic that is often sold as a pragmatic solution but that comes at an immense human and moral cost,” says Bram Frouws, director of the Mixed Migration Centre. “Paradoxically, these efforts to reduce migration occur against the backdrop of rapidly ageing societies, with many countries in the Global North facing severe labour shortages. In order to keep their economies going – and growing – many countries need migrants more than ever.”
The report provides evidence-based counterfactuals to migration myths found commonly in media coverage and political discourse. Based on data from 60,000 surveys conducted through MMC’s 4Mi programme, these counterfactuals challenge misconceptions about the role of smugglers in migration decisions, the perceived pull-factor of generous asylum systems, and the impact of climate change on international mobility.
The report also looks at how certain politicians and populist parties exploit, benefit and sustain the perception of a constant migration crisis. The perception of a crisis linked to migration serves as a tool to gain legitimacy and secure votes, and deflects attention form viable and humane policies to better manage migration.
“Tough measures on migration based on a ‘threat’ narrative may win votes, but the shifting of blame and scapegoating does not tackle domestic and regional challenges long-term,” concludes Charlotte Slente, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council. “Mobility is fundamental to human life and will continue to be so. It is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be rationally managed with humanity, fairness and compassion.”
The Mixed Migration Reviews 2024 features data, analysis, thematic essays, interviews with experts and stories from migrants, in four sections:
1. Regions on the move
Provides an overview of noteworthy events and migration policies in 2024 in Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Europe and Asia, and includes thematic articles for each region, and stories from migrants.
2. Alternative perspectives prize essays
Features five essays from writers under thirty years old based in and from the Global South who won MMC’s annual essay competition.
3. Policy and politics in a year of election
Explores how migration is politicized and instrumentalized, with essays, expert interviews, and data from MMC’s 4Mi surveys that challenge common myths about migration. The section also looks at alternative (local) governance approaches for migration management and integration.
4. Resisting the extreme and normalising the extreme
As each year, the MMR charts the positive and negative state-led interventions and policies that directly impact people on the move.
The MMR 2024 will be launched in an online event on the 5th of December at 14:00 CET with a panel discussion on ‘The politics of migration narratives: shaping perceptions, policies, and real-life consequences’.
About the Mixed Migration Review (MMR):
The Mixed Migration Review is our flagship annual report and presents a wide-ranging global review keeping track of all mixed migration events and policy developments over the year, in addition to specialist essays, interviews with thought-leaders and data analysis.