Increasing anti-migration rhetoric and the link to national populism

Populist rhetoric and global anti-migration politics

It seems impossible to open the newspapers without reading about yet another example of anti-migration, national populist rhetoric by politicians. Indeed, migrants are increasingly becoming the scapegoats for global political and economic woes, with populist leaders pointing the finger at migration to rally support, deflect blame and provide ‘easy’ answers for national problems such as housing shortages and unemployment.

In this DevISSues, we look at this trend from three vantage points. Hein de Haas argues that in Europe, right-wing populist leaders are mobilizing fear of outsiders to bolster their illiberal agendas. They propagate a simplistic approach, focusing on ‘push-pull’ factors that seemingly drive migration. De Haas questions the veracity of this, arguing that mainstream approaches to migration are based on superficial assumptions about its nature and causes.

Bisharo Ali Hussein analyses migration from a Global South perspective, arguing that many political narratives across Africa, Latin America and Asia are increasingly portraying migration as a risk to national identity, economic security and public order. In a similar vein to the arguments put forward by de Haas, she argues that this distortion camouflages the real reasons for migration and ignores its socioeconomic benefits.

In the US, Donald Trump’s return to power has brought sweeping anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric into the mainstream. Michael Sharpe outlines how Trump’s MAGA movement weaponizes migration to stoke fear, distract from economic inequality and consolidate power.

In their staff-student discussion, Luisa Cortesi and Vanessa Clavijo Barboza look more closely at another factor that can influence migration – the politics of water and floods. They reject the idea that floods are purely natural phenomena, arguing that political and economic interests as well as inappropriate land use and water mismanagement exacerbate the impact of climate change.

Further in this issue, Marijn Faling and Inge Hutter explore exciting possibilities of joint programmes between ISS and the Rotterdam School of Management. They suggest  that such programmes could help students gain a better understanding of private sector involvement in key development issues such a social justice, equity and inclusion.

I hope that this DevISSues gives you food for thought and encourages critical conversations on the important topics it highlights.

Jane Pocock,
Editor DevISSues