The fourth comic in our ‘Uncertain Worlds’ series focuses on migration.
Every year, millions of people migrate locally or across borders. Many migration policies focus on control, managing the risks, predictability and stability.
But the experiences of migrants themselves are more uncertain, unpredictable and variable. Migration flows are complex and multi-directional, and simple ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors often don’t apply. Focusing on migration as a ‘crisis’ assumes that there’s a stable balance to return to. But migration is unpredictable and non-linear, and it varies in speed and scale.
Those responsible for migration policy must acknowledge the real experiences of people on the move. In doing so, they can learn from the strategies of pastoralists, using mobility to create reliability from uncertainty.
Read the comic
Read the article
Maru N., Nori M., Scoones I., Semplici G. and Triandafyllidou A. (2022) Embracing uncertainty: rethinking migration policy through pastoralists’ experiences. Comparative Migration Studies 10:5
About the Uncertain Worlds series
What are you uncertain about? If you can’t control or predict the future, how can you prepare for it? Uncertainty can be scary, but can it also be a source of hope or opportunity?
The PASTRES project is sharing seven comics in a series called ‘Uncertain Worlds’. It explores stories about uncertainty in the worlds of pastoralism, economics and finance, pandemics, migration, humanitarian aid, insurance and knowledge networks. Many of the comics draw on lessons from pastoralists, whose ways of life can help to challenge our assumptions of how to respond to the unpredictable and unknown.
The comics have been created by the artist Daniel Locke in collaboration with the PASTRES team. Each comic is linked to a peer-reviewed academic article produced in collaboration with the PASTRES project.
Exhibition: Uncertain Worlds
Large scale printed versions of the comics will be on show in October 2023 at an exhibition, Uncertain Worlds.
The exhibition will be in Brighton, UK from 25-29 October 2023. Opening hours are 11am – 5pm and entry is free.
Address:
Phoenix Art Space
10-14 Waterloo Place,
Brighton, BN2 9NB
(view map)
There will be a launch event on the evening of 24 October: email n.oxley@ids.ac.uk for details.
Find out more
For an overview and links to all the comics when they are published, visit the Uncertain Worlds page.
Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Resilience - PASTRES 