Panel: “Return Migration amidst Normative Concerns, Asylum Crisis and Resilience”

GAPs first panel took place at University House, Uppsala University and was moderated by SPIA director, Terry Martin. Two of the panellists were present – Prof. Tineke Strik (Member of European Parliament) and Prof. Rebecca Stern (Uppsala University). Two panellists participated online: Prof. Anna Triandafyllidou (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Rosilyne Mae Borland (IOM).

The panel opened with a welcome address by the Vice Rector of Uppsala University, Tora Holmberg. The coordinators then presented the GAPs project. 

 

The panelists' contributions were structured around four thematic blocks:

  1. Overview of current migration patterns (in historical context), major drivers of migration today (crises), countries experiencing significant migration and how these relate to policies and return policies.

  2. The legal dimension of return (international law, how states work within or around it), human rights and humanitarian concerns (normative perspectives).

  3. Migrants' human agency and resilience. How do they acquire agency, exercise it, to what effect?

  4. Future trends. Current projections for migrant return policies. Potential impact of emerging crises (geopolitical, economic, climate/environmental), advocacy efforts, political pressures. And: knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.

The panel discussion showed how the issue of return has been politicised in recent years as one of the main narratives of migration policy, in line with the EU's externalisation of migration policy. Migration has moved to the centre of the debate, especially in relation to legislation and the growing discourse of 'doing more'. However, the complexity of migration and the need to address individual needs and trajectories in policy design and implementation was underlined.  They pointed out that the reasons for return are as diverse as the drivers of migration. Accordingly, speakers also highlighted different meanings of return, highlighted gaps in legal frameworks and pointed to different scenarios related to return policies. One example discussed in relation to return was the recent 'Stop the boats' campaign in the UK. Our consortium member and Member of the European Parliament, Prof. Strik, explained the changes in EU policies related to return and readmission policies. The panel concluded that the current debate on return is not evidence-based and that GAPs aims to contribute to the collection of research evidence from different stakeholders. They underlined how the GAPs research project could "influence knowledge, policy and public awareness".

 
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