Shikha Silliman Bhattacharjee

Shikha’s research contributes a new approach to studying migration governance by developing an empirically grounded theorization of migration corridors—defined as circuits of mobility within and across nation states that are governed by not only border administration, but also legal, financial, political, and social management. Her dissertation examines how migration corridors are constituted in the everyday practices and experiences of migrant workers through a study of migration corridors from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Syria; to Lebanon, Jordan and the GCC countries. The spatiality of the migration corridor is a literal passage—indicating the presence of an entrance, directional momentum, and connection between two or more sites. These components map onto the building blocks proposed in this study: expulsions, forces directing migration flows, and junctions where flows converge. This approach opens up a new set of questions: How are migration corridors directed, carved, and governed—legally, financially, politically, and socially? Under what conditions do these modes of governance protect labor rights for migrant workers, or alternately expose them to discrimination, exploitation, and violence? How and under what conditions do migrant workers resist or allude abusive governance forms, including advancing transparent, accountable, and enforceable rights-based governance? It will be relevant to migrants, their collectives, and policymakers who seek to promote decent work and address gender-based violence at all stages of the migration process.

Proposal Title:  Corridor as Method—Migration Governance in the Global Economy