International migration and refugee protection are at a crossroads. On the one hand, contested rules and the absence of competent institutions open the door to exploitation, smuggling and trafficking, and also to inefficient, often ineffective management at the State level; on the other, long-accepted rules of refugee protection, such as non-refoulement, are under strain as States struggle to cope with increasing numbers of the displaced and an international infra-structure seemingly incapable of dealing adequately with causes, including conflict, of promoting solutions and sharing responsibility fairly and equitably, and of ensuring protection of the rights of those on the move.
This collection of essays could not be more timely. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds and experience, the authors take up these issues, from the very nature of migration and displacement in a world of sovereign States, through tentative efforts to improve migration management by way of treaty, to the ever-present tension between individual rights and State interests.
This volume provides essential reading for anyone interested in the burning questions of today, and in the role of international law in steering coherent responses and facilitating humane solutions.