Episode 35: Human Mobility and International Law

About this episode

This episode examines the inadequacies of international law in addressing human mobility and migration issues.

Migration has become a defining issue of our time, visibly shaping political discourse, legal systems, and public imaginaries. Yet for all its salience, international law’s capacity to respond to the complexities of human mobility remains fractured, fragile, and often inadequate. In this episode, we take a hard look at the international legal architecture surrounding migration: where it comes from, where it fails, and what alternative frameworks might exist beyond the dominant focus on non-refoulement and transnational criminal law. We begin with a frank assessment: despite landmark treaties like the 1951 Refugee Convention, international law provides no comprehensive regime for facilitating – much less fostering – human mobility. Instead, migrants are increasingly subject to carceral and criminalizing legal responses, while international legal regimes defer to the sovereignty and discretion of receiving states. Joining us for this episode are three experts in global migration law and governance: Jaya Ramji Nogales (Temple Law School in Philadelphia), Noora Lori (Boston University), and Amanda Bisong (European Center for Development Policy Management). Together, they offer…

People in this episode

Guests: Jaya Ramji Nogales, Noora Lori, Amanda Bisong

Topics covered

• human mobility
• international law
• migration
• legal frameworks
• sovereignty
• transnational criminal law

Keywords

• migration
• international law
• human mobility
• legal systems
• non-refoulement
• carceral responses
• sovereignty
• transnational crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Temple Law School, Boston University, European Center for Development Policy Management

Books & works: Traffickers, Brokers, Employment Agents, and Social Networks, 1951 Refugee Convention

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