A Pluridisciplinary Approach of Migrant Mobilization As a Response to Securitization

Migrant mobilization is commonly analyzed from two perspectives. The first relates to the political opportunity structure (POS) and the neo-institutionalist approaches that focus on the structural conditions that frame forms of socio-economic integration and political participation. The second emphasizes the characteristics of migrants (such as SES variables) and the outcomes of incorporation. Both of these perspectives provide useful insights. Yet, they treat migrants as objects rather than subjects of politics and policies. Furthermore, neither directly addresses the impact of the securitization of immigration and integration policies on patterns of migrant mobilization. In contrast, I argue that any effective understanding of the effects of securitization requires the study of the interplay between the degree of receptivity towards immigrants (as determined by policies and public perceptions of immigrants) and the perspective of immigrants on discriminatory practices. Scholars need to examine subjective factors, such as migrant feelings, fears, sense of group membership, and of relative deprivation. I therefore employ a pluridisciplinary approach that draws from research traditions in political science, sociology, and social psychology. This approach combines common explanations of collective action with social psychological predictors of mobilization (such as perceived discrimination, subjective social capital, and sense of empowerment felt by migrants). In doing so, my approach addresses the relationship between security governance and consequential forms of mobilization.