Discourse on Race and Migration in Europe
Summary
The discourse on race and migration in Europe has evolved from early postcolonial critiques of empire to encompass complex contemporary debates about mobility, identity and exclusion. Historical legacies of colonialism and eugenics have intersected with twentieth-century nation-building projects, shaping policies and public attitudes towards non-European and intra-European migrants alike. In the twenty-first century, the expansion of the European Union, rising populist movements and the so-called refugee crisis have intensified scrutiny of how racial categories are deployed in media, law and everyday life. Scholars now emphasise the co-construction of race and migration, examining how racialisation processes underpin labour hierarchies, legal regimes of belonging and popular imaginaries of ‘Europeanness’. This multifaceted field draws on critical race theory, postcolonial studies and labour geography to reveal the geopolitical and economic structures that maintain inequality. The global significance of this research lies in its capacity to inform more equitable migration policies, challenge xenophobic narratives and promote solidarity across diverse communities within and beyond Europe.
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Discourse on Race and Migration in Europe publication trend
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Technical terms
Racialisation: The process by which social meanings are attributed to perceived physical or cultural differences, creating hierarchies and differential treatment.
Race–migration nexus: An analytical framework that explores how migration dynamics and racial constructs are co-produced, revealing continuities and transformations in contemporary racism.
Racial capitalism: A concept that examines how capitalist economies depend on and reproduce racialised labour divisions and exploitative practices.
References
- Colonialism, eugenics and ‘race’ in Central and Eastern Europe. Global Social Challenges Journal (2023).
- Understanding the contemporary race–migration nexus. Ethnic and Racial Studies (2016).
- East–west inequalities and the ambiguous racialisation of ‘Eastern Europeans’. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies (2023).
- Racial capitalism and the production of difference in Helsinki and Warsaw. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies (2023).
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