In the past five years, migration trajectories virtually stalled because of travel bans during the COVID-19 pandemic while the return of the El Nino has re-configured tourist movements and tourism policies. The war in Ukraine resurfaced the question on how desirability of migrants intersect with the endowment of rights. During this roundtable, we specifically ask: What is a ‘desirable’ migrant? How do global crises change how we construct what is a “desirable migrant”? How should we be governing migrant’s desirability and rights?

About the speakers

Parvati Raghuram is Professor in Geography and Migration at the Open University. Her research interests focus on the ways in which the mobility, of individuals, goods and of ideas is reshaping the world. Much of her more recent work explores the migration of skilled and lesser skilled women, particularly those moving from the Indian subcontinent. She has published widely on gender, migration and development and on postcolonial theory.  Her most recent AHRC funded project is Decolonising Peace Education in Africa where she is looking at care ethics, an abiding interest. She is also part of the project Migration and Inclusive African Growth and Writing International Student Migration in Africa.

Maitet Ledesma is Philippine-born and has lived in Europe for the past 40 years. A nurse by profession, by choice she is a community and political activist, a solidarity and development worker. She has been engaged with communities of migrants, women and children, refugees, and displaced peoples working on issues of equality, anti-racism, social emancipation, women's liberation, development justice, human rights and peace. She is the board chairperson of IBON International-Europe, a global service institution working with social movements and civil society constituencies on development issues and popularizing consensus in global arenas and international processes. She is also a member of the International Women's Alliance, a global alliance of militant, grassroots-based women's organizations and networks that advance national and social liberation and gender equality.

From an actor who plays an asylum seeker in a multi award film to a real asylum seeker in The Netherlands, Christopher Tijan Smith is a Gambian radio host, script writer, theatre and screen actor.