Path dependencies, critical junctures and crises in migration governance

Abstract

This panel reflects on moments when migration policies shift – or remain similar – in the context of massive societal and political change. Historical institutionalist scholars argue that political processes are path dependent, which means that policies usually do not radically change unless there is a ‘critical juncture’, i.e. a situation of high uncertainty during which more dramatic change is possible. Such a lens invites political scientists to historize policy processes, reflect on counterfactuals and explore the (non-)importance of crises narratives for policy change. Understanding critical junctures in migration governance is a growing field of research. Yet, key questions still need to be addressed across space and time: What exactly are critical junctures in migration governance? When do critical junctures lead to policy change and in which direction? When do path dependencies continue to exist despite critical junctures? The proposed panel “Path dependencies, critical junctures and crises in migration governance” brings together a set of papers reflecting on one or more of these questions from across empirical contexts around the world. Hereby, the panel contributes new knowledge about the temporal dimension of migration governance, as well as its shifts and lock-ins.

Title	Details
Brothers without rights? Forced migration governance at critical junctures of state formation in Tunisia	View Paper Details
Displacement, "Crises" & Critical Junctures: Regional Reactions to Venezuelan Forced Displacement	View Paper Details
Is COVID-19 a Critical Juncture in International Migration Governance?	View Paper Details
Disentangling the European Migration Policy-Mix since 1990	View Paper Details