Security Implications of Forced Migration and the Refugee Flows

Abstract

This article analyzes the current migration and refugee flows and the security implications that it poses to the receiving as well as the transit countries. Recent public debates, underline the importance and concerns of the ever wider character of the mixed mass flow phenomena, followed by its implications in the humanitarian, economic, financial, social, political and security domain. It does so, by highlighting the concept of a broadened comprehensive security through the lens of the Copenhagen School. The broadened concept of comprehensive security provided by the aforementioned school, offers the most inclusive approach in analyzing the linkage between the migration and security nexus. The purpose of the paper is to present the point of interaction between the established rules of the receiving nations and the anarchic situation that migration and forced refugee flows may spur. The recent refugee flows into Europe brings to attention this very complex discourse, as it generates public debates which in turn call for extra ordinary institutional measures, namely by securitizing migration. The securitization of migration has significant implications for the analysis and the construction of national security policies at local and regional level.