Pushing the Boundaries: New Dynamics of Forced Migration and Transnational Responses in Latin America

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1. This project uses multi-disciplinary methodology to investigate and influence the ways in which Latin American States use transnational structures and interventions to address new security and justice challenges resulting from forced migration flows.2. The recent trend of increasing arrivals of 'extra-continental' migrants and refugees, many from conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, are raising substantive challenges of security and justice for Latin American societies. At the same time, particularly in Central America, novel patterns of gang- and drug-related generalised violence are producing extensive forced displacement. As States in the region seek to balance societal fears about terrorism and criminality against their international obligations to protect refugees and displaced persons, they look to develop new forms of transnational cooperation on asylum and migration. This international cooperation builds on existing regional initiatives. However, despite the potentially positive model that Latin America offers, no recent or comprehensive studies exist on this topic.3. This research analyses these regional responses to forced migration in Latin America. Among the far-reaching questions to be addressed are: What are the implications for security and justice of the new dynamics of forced migration in Latin America? How do Latin American States respond to such challenges, and how can their responses be strengthened in future? What roles do civil society groups, inter-governmental bodies, and powerful North American States play in these processes? How does the Latin American model compare or interact with the European and African models, and what lessons can be drawn? What are the implications for States' allocation of international responsibility for flows of refugees and asylum-seekers?4. This multi-disciplinary project combines social science and legal research methodologies to address the identified knowledge gap through library, archival and field research. It also creates a 'contact group' of Latin American States as an innovative technique for gathering research data and feedback. It further facilitates the co-production of knowledge in this area through a range of knowledge exchange activities, such as the following proposed conferences and workshops:- 2013 Geneva Workshops with key international humanitarian stakeholders.- 2013 London Refugee Law Initiative Public Seminar Series. - 2014 Conference in Bogotá with academic-practitioner stakeholders. - 2015 Panel at 15th IASFM Conference with academic-practitioner stakeholders. - 2015 London Conference for States and regional stakeholders. Further practical and academic impact will be secured through targeted follow-up activities with different beneficiary and 'user' stakeholders participating in these events.5. The project seeks to generate mid-long term impact 'through people' to address the security and justice challenges that new forced migration patterns bring in Latin America by:(a) Changing State practice by improving regional law and policy on forced migration;(b) Improving the policy of the third sector institutions working on forced migration; and (c) Helping to promote an informed public debate on forced migration. The project will also yield mid-to-long term 'international leadership' and 'partnerships' impacts by promoting academic-practitioner collaborations and increasing the international visibility of UK academic research. 6. The project has innovative in-built training and is mentored by two leading academics from different but related disciplines. A structured programme of research skills development has been jointly designed with the host institution as a core component of the project, focusing on the skills needed to lead the future research agenda in this field.