In our political and media narratives, we often operate with binary notions: secure or insecure borders, legal or illegal immigration. Ruben Andersson who researches undocumented migration from West Africa to Southern Europe, challenges this way of thinking. He immersed himself in the reality of migration, accompanying migrants, border guards, and aid workers to present the impact of the migration control industry from their perspectives.

This post represents the views of the author and not those of the Brexit blog, nor the LSE. It was first published at Migration Matters. Image source: #Ohlauer Räumung / Protest 27.06.14 // Ohlauer / Reichenberger Straße // Freedom Not Frontex

Ruben Andersson  is Associate Professor at Oxford University’s Department of International Development and Associate Researcher at Stockholm University’s Department of Anthropology. His research focuses on migration, borders, and security. His book, Illegality, Inc.: Clandestine migration and the business of bordering Europe, documents the vast industry built around undocumented migration. Currently, he is investigating the risks and danger associated with international intervention in Mali and the wider sub-Saharan Sahel region.