Freedom to Move: A Human-Centered Approach to Migration
Before there were modern borderlines, there was migration. Humans have always moved, searching for a better or a different way of life. Migration in its simplest terms is a form of travel, or the process of moving from one place to another and settling either temporarily or permanently. Unfortunately, this simple definition is often distorted by headlines claiming potential catastrophe and instigating fear of the “other.” Migrants often experience discrimination and are viewed as somehow disrupting the status quo in whatever country they migrate to. While creating this “us” and “them” dichotomy may make for an engrossing headline, migration is not in itself a threat, but a constant. For RISE Travel Institute, migration is an extension of travel and an issue worth unpacking in order to create a more inclusive world.
Since our ancestors migrated from Africa to Eurasia we have been on the move. Current numbers from the UN show “281 million people living outside their country of origin in 2020, up from 173 million in 2000 and 221 million in 2010.” Throughout history, humans have migrated for a number of reasons, both voluntarily and involuntarily. Some migrate because they want to explore a new culture or gain more economic stability. This “voluntary migration” is similar to becoming an “expatriate” or a more modern “digital nomad,” two typically positive terms often used to describe a Westerner who moves to another country for work or simply to explore another culture through travel. But should someone from a poorer country migrate to a wealthy world power, the word “immigrant” is typically used, which unfortunately often carries with it a negative connotation.
Contrasting with “voluntary migration,” “forced migration” refers to the phenomenon of persons leaving their home country because they must, escaping violence, political persecution, famine, intense discrimination, or other catastrophic situation that makes their home country unlivable. UNHCR numbers show that by the end of 2020 there were 82.4 million people forcibly displaced worldwide. An example of “forced migration” can be found in the Syrian refugee crisis caused by the Syrian civil war, which according to UNHCR, “remains the world’s largest refugee crisis” with 6.6 million Syrians having fled their country and another 6.7 million internally displaced. Another substantial contributor to “forced migration” is the growing climate crisis.
Sadly, if climate change continues unchecked, “forced migration” will be further exacerbated. Last year, the New York Times Magazine published “The Great Climate Migration” an interactive piece that modeled the impacts of a warming planet on migration. One startling projection showed that 150 million people would be displaced by rising sea levels alone by 2050, only one of the effects of climate change. Limited clean water, emaciated crops, and unbearable heat will also lead to increased “forced migration.” While work can be done to reduce the consequences of climate change and ensure a safe and fruitful earth for all, if increased “forced migration” is part of our future, we can face it either with fear or with a willingness to share with, learn from, and embrace our new neighbors. At RISE Travel Institute, we take the latter path and strive to see and appreciate the unique people at the center of mass migration.
Migrants are not a monolith. They are unique human beings. As noted above, people migrate for a variety of reasons and have a variety of backgrounds, interests, goals, and levels of comfort with their new surroundings. Often our society sees people as “migrants,” or “immigrants,” and nothing more. Those who are forcibly displaced are often defined by this one severely traumatic experience of becoming a “migrant.” This limiting word can be devastating and can make it difficult to move past trauma and build a new life. No one wants to be defined by something that happened to them rather than their achievements. In populations of people who experience migration, those achievements are substantial and wide-ranging. Migrants are doctors, lawyers, and engineers. They are also entrepreneurs. As an article from the Harvard Business Review points out, those who immigrate to the US make up a quarter of all entrepreneurs. They make up a quarter of all inventors as well. Changing the image of migrants has been part of the work of Syrian refugee photographer Abdulazez Dukhan, who became a photographer to change the existing stigma against those migrating to Europe as refugees. Abdulazez himself is an example of someone who should not be defined only as a migrant or refugee but as an “artist.” When we define people through one experience we rob them of their complex humanity. Similarly, when we meet those at our borders with inhospitable accommodations, we again serve to dehumanize a very human issue.
Many have been shocked by images of migrant camps at the US border or the conditions of similar camps in Europe. Meeting those who migrate to a new country with dehumanizing tactics and revoking their freedom of movement helps no one, and does nothing to address the urgent needs of the displaced or the reasons why people migrate. However, there are human-centered approaches being taken. For example, Angry Tias and Abuelas, which operates on the US/Mexico border, provides support in the form of food, shelter, medical supplies, to those attempting to seek safety in the United States. Operating in Greece, Together for Better Days, creates innovative physical, mental, and emotional spaces for displaced people. In that same vein, Kayra Martinez, also operating in Greece through Love Without Borders for Refugees in Need, provides safe spaces that encourage art as a form of healing. These organizations and many others take a positive and productive approach to migration, attempting to assist those who are displaced by no fault of their own and encourage agency and independence.
Migration will always occur and should current trends continue, will only increase. The number of people living outside of their home country to work and travel will increase as our world continues to operate away from confined office space. “Forced migration” will increase as long as factors that drive people away from their homes such as climate catastrophes and war continue. Therefore, it’s important to think about how we move about the world and how we treat those newcomers to our society. If we are migrating to a new country and possess money and privilege, are we embracing the culture or magnifying gentrification? At home, are we sharing resources and encouraging the richness of diversity? And in all contexts, are we treating others, regardless of birthplace, as human beings with the freedom to move and pursue their own happiness? These are questions we ask ourselves daily at RISE Travel Institute and will continue to ask in our upcoming 2022 Flagship Program courses covering travel migration and how to be an ethical digital nomad. The answers are complicated but worth pursuing to achieve a more inclusive and diverse world where the same freedom of movement is available to all.
About the Author: Kara King (she/her/hers) is a traveler and writer who strives to enhance the voices of others. She has developed travel content for Thrillist, Wanderful, and Unearth Women. In addition, she has volunteered at refugee camps in Greece and Serbia and worked extensively with displaced people at the non-profit CAMBA where she managed instructional services and designed holistic programming. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and holds a degree in Comparative Literature.
