How development and migration are linked in policy today is narrow and starts from the premise that migration is problematic
Today, just as throughout history, people move to reach better education and work opportunities – this could mean moving across states’ borders, but it could also mean crossing a city every day to attend in a better school. Thus, in many ways it is obvious that human development is hugely related to migration and mobility.
My guest in this episode argues that how development and migration are linked in policy today is narrow and starts from the premise that migration is problematic. He says that development programming (and funding and research) is driven by reaching “certain migration outcomes”, rather than working to alleviate poverty.
You’ll hear me (Kate Dearden) speaking with Oliver Bakewell, who, in his recent essay, “Reshaping the Intersection Between Development and Migration Studies”, in the Journal International Migration, argues that we need to explore the relationship between human development and mobility without focusing on migration policy. Also – let’s look at the role of all forms of mobility (including that might be labelled “irregular”) in development rather than restricting our focus on “safe, orderly and regular migration”.
Oliver Bakewell is a Reader in Migration Studies, at the Global Development Institute, at the University of Manchester in the UK.
The discussion in this episode is focused on Oliver Bakewell’s essay:
Bakewell, O.2026. “Reshaping the Intersection Between Development and Migration Studies.” International Migration. 64, no. 2: e70149. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.70149.
Dr. Bakewell is grateful to the huge number of people with whom he has had discussions over the years. These have helped him develop his ideas.
Further reading:
- Bakewell, O. (2008). "Keeping Them in Their Place: The ambivalent relationship between development and migration in Africa." Third World Quarterly 29(7): 1341-1358.
- Kihato, C. W. and O. Bakewell (2023). Contested migration and development agendas: Contrasting views from Africa and Europe. Routledge Handbook of Immigration and Refugee Studies. A. Triandafyllidou. Abingdon and New York, Routledge: 329-338.
- Bakewell, O. (2008). "Research beyond the categories: the importance of policy irrelevant research into forced migration." Journal of Refugee Studies 21(4): 432-453.
- Bakewell, O. and C. Talleraas (forthcoming). "The Evolution of African Migration Governance Amidst Global Agendas and Foreign Interventions." Progress in Development Studies.