Introduction to Handbook on Migration and Development

Part I of this Handbook takes up some of the competing perspectives that have emerged to deal with the relationship between migration and development. To date, the debate on the relationship between migration and development has been dominated by the belief that migration contributes to the development of the country of origin. We question this optimistic view and present some counter-hegemonic perspectives. Part II takes exploitation and dispossession as overarching concepts to frame some key aspects of migration and development from a labour perspective. The current, ongoing, crisis of capitalism has economic, social, political, and ecological aspects that are, also inextricably bound up with imperialism and racial oppression. Migrants are, of course, active agents within this complex capitalist crisis and part of the broader socialist, anti-imperialist, anti-racist, ecological, and feminist reactions to it. Building on the above debates, Part III of the Handbook proceeds to discuss the opportunities and dilemmas posed by the various initiatives aimed at framing a multilevel governance regime for migration and development. It has brought forth great challenges for nation states, global and regional socio-economic bodies and, not least, for trade unions and other organizations of civil society. Despite a plethora of existing conventions and declarations that pledge universal human rights, their implementation has fallen short of impact in terms of changing current practices.