Irregular Migration IMISCOE Short Reader

This open access short reader provides an introduction to the theoretical debates regarding irregular migration and aims to bridge these theoretical debates to current empirical developments. It defines irregular migrants and irregular migration by discussing the wide variety of definitions and highlights the reasons for the presence of irregular immigrants in developed countries. The book provides an overview of the variation in policies regarding irregular migrants and elaborates on how irregular migration is facilitated and supported. It discusses the trends and dynamics between border enforcement, human smuggling/trafficking, and on the support irregular migrants obtain by citizens and civil society while residing in the EU. Last but not least, the book also focuses on the agency and political mobilization of irregular migrants. As such, it provides a great resource for everyone interested in learning more about irregular migration.

1. Introduction. Understanding the Challenge of Irregular Migration.- 2. Defining and Explaining Irregular Migrations.- 3. The Political Challenge of Irregular Migration.- 4. Responses and Solutions to Irregular Migration: Detention and Deportation versus Regularisation.- 5. Enabling and Supporting Irregular Migration.- 6. Agency, Inclusion and Political Mobilisation of Irregular migrants.- 7. Conclusion. Envisioning Better Governance of Irregular Migration.

Maurizio Ambrosini is professor of Sociology of Migration at the University of Milan (Italy), Department of Social and Political Sciences, and chargé d’enseignement at the University Cote d'Azur (Nice, France). He is the editor of the journal “Mondi Migranti”, the Director of the Italian Summer School of Sociology of Migrations, and member of the Italian National Council of Economy and Labour (CNEL). He has published several books such as, in English, “Irregular Migration and Invisible Welfare”, and “Irregular Immigration in Southern Europe: Actors, Dynamics and Governance”. His articles have been published in several leading international journals.

Minke H.J. Hajer currently works as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Groningen, where she studies labour market integration of refugees in the Netherlands. Until October 2022 she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Milan where she was involved in research projects regarding the integration of asylum seekers in Italy and the 2020 regularisation of irregular migrant workers in Italy. She holds a joint doctorate between the University of Amsterdam and the University of Milan, for which she studied citizenship struggles of irregular migrants in social movements in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Turin (Italy).