Borders & Belonging Podcast is hosted by the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration at Toronto Metropolitan University.

The Podcast

Migration has been a constant feature of human history, shaping societies and cultures for millennia. Far from being a new or unusual phenomenon, people have always moved in search of better opportunities, safety, or resources. From ancient trade routes to modern global networks, migration has played a vital role in economic development, cultural exchange and social transformation. Yet despite its ubiquity, migrants are often scapegoated as the cause of economic and political problems in host states, overshadowing the many contributions that human mobility brings to both sending and receiving countries. Borders & Belonging helps cut through the noise. In each episode, host Maggie Perzyna takes a closer look at the popular discourse surrounding migration and engages with leading experts to provide evidence-based insights.

The Episode

To kick off season 4 of Borders & Belonging, host Maggie Perzyna explores the concept of "demigranticization" in migration research with Janine Dahinden and Maissam Nimer. They discuss how the label "migrant" is not objective but rather a political construct rooted in nation-state logic that can reinforce harmful power structures and exclusion.

Both scholars argue that migration research should step back from treating migration as an isolated phenomenon and instead examine how societies create "others" to define themselves, connecting migrants' struggles with those of other marginalized groups. Despite the dark political climate and rise of populism, they find hope in growing critical voices within academia and emerging solidarities between migrantized and non-migrantized communities.

Guests: Janine Dahinden, Professor of Transnational Studies, University of Neuchâtel; and Maissam Nimer, Associate Professor of Sociology, Akdeniz University.