Migration and citizenship

Migration is often said to be one of the greatest challenges of our time, a challenge which is increasing along with globalisation and as a result of climate change, war and conflicts. These types of global events and local political and social processes influence people’s opportunities and willingness to live in the places where they have lived for generations. Migration and its consequences are questions that sometimes touch on state sovereignty and the borders of states, access to rights and inclusion and exclusion from society. Citizenship is closely connected to migration in such a way that citizenship can be seen as crucial for the rights a person both has and has the opportunity to exercise, as well as which opportunities there are to participate in and influence decision making processes in society at all levels.

How migration should be handled, controlled and regulated, as well as how conditions are put on citizenship in different ways, has in recent decades become an increasingly important political question which actualises aspects of political polarisation, xenophobia and crisis management, as well as the development and survival of the welfare state. Migration also influences the make up of the population in a country or region regarding gender and age, but also religious background or affiliation. Demographic shifts raise questions as to how a society treats ethnic and religious minorities and which social, religious and juridical changes are taking place. Research on migration and citizenship is central to an understanding of the effects of migration on society and people’s possibilities to be a part of society.

Research within the theme migration and citizenship is multidisciplinary which makes clear that the definition of understanding of migration and of who can be seen to be a migrant is of importance both for research and for interpretation of the societal situation and for political decisions. Research on migration and citizenship focuses on migration and the impact of migrants on society as well as the changes migration brings to society, with the aim of increasing understanding and contributing new knowledge to the building of a sustainable society.