Migration without borders: an investigation into the free movement of people

Migration without borders: an unrealistic utopia?

This article reviews the literature on the migration without borders (MWB) scenario and assesses its relevance in the contemporary migration context.

The review highlights numerous uncertainties surrounding the MWB and concludes that the social and economic consequences of the MWB scenario remain extremely complex. While the MWB scenario has the advantage of being ethically defendable, and of usefully complementing the human right to emigration by a symmetric right to mobility, the paper argues that it is necessary to examine both the strengths and weaknesses of the MWB scenario, and to keep in mind that, while free movement may be a desirable option, it is also a complex goal that requires careful thinking. The MWB scenario is not a straightforward or simple measure that would eliminate all injustices at once, nor an unrealistic utopia. It is a vision for the future of migration and a source of ideas to imagine fairer migration policies.

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Migration without borders: an investigation into the free movement of people