Migration by Boat - (Forced Migration) by Lynda Mannik (Paperback)

About the Book

• The only edited volume to date to focus specifically on forced sea migrations and their memorializations.
• Covers a wide international (geographic) berth in terms of case studies, and therefore has international appeal.
• An excellent example of engaged social sciences regarding current and past migrations by boat.
• Considers a wide range of perspectives from those of policy-makers to "smugglers," and from members of host countries to refugees undertaking these dangerous journeys.

Book Synopsis

At a time when thousands of refugees risk their lives undertaking perilous journeys by boat across the Mediterranean, this multidisciplinary volume could not be more pertinent. It offers various contemporary case studies of boat migrations undertaken by asylum seekers and refugees around the globe and shows that boats not only move people and cultural capital between places, but also fuel cultural fantasies, dreams of adventure and hope, along with fears of invasion and terrorism. The ambiguous nature of memories, media representations and popular culture productions are highlighted throughout in order to address negative stereotypes and conversely, humanize the individuals involved.

Review Quotes

"As a whole, this collection constitutes an insightful examination of the contradictions between representations and lived experiences of migration by boat. The volume will be of particular interest to scholars working on migration and borders, but, by providing ample case studies of historical and contemporary representations of migration by boat, it also will appeal to academics interested in media and communication studies." - Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (JRAI)

"This sensitive, yet critical, collection recounts the devastation experienced at land and sea by people travelling by boat. The variety of perspectives presented here confronts pejorative tone, and challenges dominant Western host nations' laws and policies, while at the same time invoking an empathy that is raw, realistic, compassionate, and hopeful. The book will attract anyone who studies, teaches, researches, practices, or advocates in the area of migration studies, especially those travelling by boat." - Journal of Internal Displacement

"...an exhaustive survey on maritime migration in an era of securitized borders. It is also an incredibly valuable compendium for students and scholars in migration studies, critical border and refugee studies, and for those who generally grapple with our contemporary moment." - Anthropology News

"Migration by Boat offers its readers a diverse and rich collection of essays, centred on migration, borders, identities, and humanitarian ideals, pushing its readers to see transnational flows of people away from the clear-cut juxtapositions of citizen/stranger, land/water and victim/threat. This makes the book an important and interesting read for a broad audience." - Border Criminologies

"This impressive collection of essays, centred on migration, borders, identities, and humanitarian ideals is both theoretically astute and ethnographically rich. Each contribution is solid and together they challenge readers to rethink the politics of migration." - Refuge

"This book is highly original in its emphasis on representations of enforced sea journeys and their memorialisations. Many, including myself, would like it on their shelf for teaching and reference." - Michael Pugh, University of Bradford

"Migration by Boat is an excellent example of engaged social science... With its inter-disciplinary perspective, geographical diversity and historical sensitivity, it succeeds in presenting in-depth insights into this highly sensitive phenomenon." - Joris Schapendonk, Radboud University