Migrant Activisms

Papers in this session will address migrant rights organizing and activism in various geographies and scales. Over the last decade we have witnessed the global explosion of political mobilization of migrants and refugees, and the emergence of so-called migrant rights movements (Conlon and Gill, 2015). Many of these mobilizations can be understood as transnational and local responses to the intensification of restrictive border regimes and domestic measures that limit access to rights for non-nationals. These mobilizations use a wide repertoire of actions (demonstrations, hunger strikes, occupying public spaces). Immigrants, refugees and pro-immigration organizations and platforms have built an agenda of demands that includes the defense of human rights, freedom of movement, access to safe international protection, decent working conditions and fundamental rights without which the living conditions, health and dignity of migrants and refugees are seriously compromised. Many contemporary struggles argue for the "right to mobility,” and differ from late 20^th century migrant activisms, which were usually articulated around labor, racial and religious rights. Research on migrant rights struggles extends an emergent dialogue between literatures on social movements, particularly contentious politics; migrant rights practices; and pro-migrant organizing, advocacy and solidarity. To advance this dialogue, we invite papers on a range of substantive areas related to migrant rights activism, including border regimes, humanitarian policy, social welfare/rights, sexual orientation, criminalizing migrant support, cities of refuge/Sanctuary, and cross-movement solidarities (e.g. indigenous, anti-racist and anti-colonial struggles).