Securitization without Security? Credible Fictions and Migration Governance
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How is migration governance constructed for geopolitical gain? This joint presentation explores the ‘symbolic turn’ in migration diplomacy, arguing that states increasingly stage refugee and border governance for geopolitical legibility rather than material outcomes. The presenters will first introduce the concept of 'credible fictions' to theorise how states curate illusions of scale and staged compliance to secure international recognition. They will then apply this framework to the Americas, demonstrating how democratic transit states like Mexico and Panama enact 'performative compliance' to navigate domestic pressures and coercive US externalisation policies. Ultimately, they will highlight how this performative governance reshapes human security in the region.
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