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All 11 Flashcards — Migration and borders
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Question
What is migration in global politics?
Answer
The movement of people across borders to live in another place — forced (refugees) or voluntary (economic migrants).
Question
What is the core tension migration creates at borders?
Answer
A state's sovereign right to control who enters versus its human-rights duties (especially non-refoulement) to people fleeing danger.
Question
What is the difference between a refugee and an economic migrant?
Answer
A refugee is forced to flee danger and is protected by the 1951 Convention; an economic migrant chooses to move for work or opportunity, with fewer protections.
Question
What is non-refoulement?
Answer
The binding rule that states must not return refugees to a country where they would face danger.
Question
Why do states benefit from migration?
Answer
Migrants fill labour shortages, pay taxes, bring skills and youth to ageing societies, and send remittances that develop their home countries.
Question
Why do states resist migration?
Answer
They fear pressure on jobs, services and housing, security and integration concerns, and political backlash, so they tighten borders.
Question
Why does harsh border-hardening often fail?
Answer
People flee desperation, so walls and pushbacks divert movement to deadlier routes and smugglers, breach rights, and shift the burden to neighbours.
Question
What are 'mixed migration' flows?
Answer
Flows containing both refugees fleeing danger and economic migrants seeking opportunity, which are hard to sort at the border.
Question
What are 'safe, legal routes'?
Answer
Managed channels like resettlement and work visas that reduce dangerous journeys, undercut smugglers, and meet states' rights duties.
Question
Why is migration a shared, global challenge?
Answer
Because movement crosses many states and cannot be stopped by one closing its door, so it needs responsibility-sharing and cooperation.
Question
How should states manage migration?
Answer
Uphold non-refoulement, screen fairly, open safe legal routes, share responsibility, fund host states, and support integration.
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Full study notes for Migration and borders
Topic 5.1 hub
Borders
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