Immigration and asylum - new material (1)
01 October 2008
Migration Without Borders, Essays on the Free Movement of People. UNESCO, 2007, EUR 29, pp 304. This is an in-depth exploration of the scenario of a world where people could move freely from one country to another and settle wherever they wished. Given the current context of strict border controls and a heightened social and political awareness of the issue, a world without borders may appear somewhat utopian. But today’s Utopia could become tomorrow’s reality and this publication attempts to analyse the ethical and economic challenges as well as the social consequences of totally free movement all over the world. With contributions by Aderanti Adepoju, Rafael Alarcón, Graziano Battistella, Alejandro I. Canales, Jonathan Crush, Han Entzinger, Bimal Ghosh, Nigel Harris, Jan Kunz, Mari Leinonen, Alicia Maguid, Israel Montiel Armas, Sally Peberdy, Mehmet Ugur and Catherine Wihtol de Wenden, this reference work is a mine of new ideas which fuel the debate and contribute to finding new angles for research into fair and balanced migration policies that respect human rights. Order from: http://publishing.unesco.org/
Integration/Hinterland. Bayerischer Flüchtlingsrat, Hinterland 08/2008, EUR 4,50, pp 66. This excellent resource for analysis and debate on migration, refugee politics, racism and related issues is published quarterly by the Bavarian Refugee Council. This issues focuses on integration politics in Germany. Articles explore (the lack of) definition and consequences thereof, historical origins of the concept of integration, cultural relativism and integration courses as colonial practice. Non-theme articles examine intersections of art and politics and refugee campaign strategies, amongst others. Available from redaktion@hinterland-magazin.de
The Impact of the EU Qualification Directive on International Protection. European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 2008, pp.258. This study examines the transposition of certain provisions of the Qualification Directive (Council Directive 2004/83/EC, deadline for transposition expired on October 10, 2006), the differences in practice brought about by transposition, and some of the substantive social rights EU Member States extend to recipients of international protection under the directive. This project is motivated by concerns about the directive's compatibility with international human rights standards. ECRE and UNHCR have taken the position that some of the directive's provisions do not reflect the 1951 Refugee Convention, and have urged states to adopt higher standards as provided for in Article 3. The study reveals positive developments that the Directive has brought about as well as a number of disturbing trends concerning intrinsic flaws in the Directive and a failure by member states to properly implement it: www.ecre.org/resources/policy_papers/1234
Migration-related detention: a global concern. Amnesty International, December 2008. This publication considers the practice of migration-related detention, a common European practice that is “often incompatible with international human rights standards. It often violates the rights of detainees and is distressing and harmful to those subjected to it.” The report notes that: “Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are regularly deprived of their liberty purely for administrative convenience.” Available as a free download: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/POL33/004/2008/en/c4b6797b-c873-11dd-b5e7-cf1e30795cb4/pol330042008eng.pdf
Closing the Door, Don Flynn. Chartist No. 235 (November/ December) 2008, pp.16-17. This article examines how the “populistic politics” expounded by new Minister of State for Borders and Immigration at the Home Office, Phil Woolas MP, has led us “towards further nationalistic incitements against migration”. Flynn observes that Woolas “has come down on the side of the anti-immigrant populists”, by making headline-catching statements to further his career at the expense of the most vulnerable. The article concludes that if Woolas favours “number reductions aimed at appeasing popular sentiment we are in grave danger of moving into very dangerous territory indeed.” Chartist: www.chartist.org.uk
Support for Migrants Update, Sue Willman. Legal Action December 2008, pp. 36-39. This is the latest update on welfare provision for asylum seekers and other migrants in the fields of policy and legislation and case-law.
Immigration Law Update, Alan Caskie. SCOLAG Legal Journal Issue 373 (November) 2008, pp 286-291. A review of significant court cases from Scotland and England, covering decisions from April to June 2008.
Recent Developments in Immigration Law - part 1 and 2, Jawaid Luqmani. Legal Action December 2008 and January 2009, pp. 40-45 and 12-18. This article reports on recent developments in politics and legislation relating to immigration. It examines the UK Borders Act 2007, changes in detention policy, identity cards, AIT procedure and has extensive coverage of the Statement in changes in Immigration Rules which took effect on 22 July.
Returns at any cost: Spain's push to repatriate unaccompanied children in the absence of safeguards. Human Rights Watch, 2008, pp.26. This report focuses on the lack of legal representation during repatriation procedures for children which have a fundamental impact on their lives and may put their well-being and the exercise of their fundamental rights at risk. Adult migrants, on the contrary, receive free legal assistance. In order to improve the situation, Spain has recently concluded a bilateral agreement with Morocco and Senegal to ensure that children are not repatriated to situations of risk. Spain has also financed reception centres in Morocco. However, according to the report, Spain has repeatedly sent unaccompanied children back to situations of risk in their country of origin. Human Rights Watch urges Spain to improve its safeguards for unaccompanied children who face repatriations: http://hrw.org/reports/2008/spain1008/spain1008web.pdf