Observations on the Fragility of Global Migration

Discourses on migration are often reductionist. They reduce migrants to vulnerable individuals, overlooking the structural fragilities in global migration which contribute to their experiences. This chapter will reposition migration by introducing “fragility” as its fundamental characteristic. It introduces this concept from several theoretical perspectives: the sociology of knowledge, critical theory, and figurational sociology. It emphasizes its relational, dynamic, and processual nature. The fragility of migration is shaped by societal expectations, power structures, and global systems. We analyze aspects of fragility at three levels: the figurations of leaving, the figurations of arrival, and the figurations of moving. The analysis boldly challenges the rigid categorization of migrants, distinguishing for example refugee migration and economic migration. It reveals that such typifications are fragile in their multiple layers as everyday interpretations, discourses, and state policies. The chapter also discusses the impact of neoliberal policies and crises as structural contributors to the fragility faced by migrants, to be analyzed in their interrelationship with migrants’ intersectional position. It also points to the intricate relation of migration and nation-states, which sets the parameters for who is allowed to immigrate for what reason and to be entitled to citizenship. Finally, the text discusses how these dynamics hamper efforts for recognition and rights within a global citizenship framework.