The securitisation of migration can be defined as a shift in discourse in how refugees and asylum seekers are perceived by states and by the public. Whereas first refugees were predominantly seen...Show moreThe securitisation of migration can be defined as a shift in discourse in how refugees and asylum seekers are perceived by states and by the public. Whereas first refugees were predominantly seen as victims of humanitarian crises, they are now regarded as security threats. This research will investigate the causes and effects of the securitisation of the Australian migration system with a particular focus on the development of regulations concerning boat migrants. It concentrates on how political, socioeconomic, and security factors have influenced the shape of Australian immigration policies and what kind of consequences this has had for refugees and asylum seekers. In order to establish this, the research will first examine general characteristics of the securitisation of migration and then perform a chronological case study that examines changes in Australian immigration discourse. Eventually, this paper will argue that the securitisation of the migration system is not primarily caused by political factors, but by socioeconomic elements.Show less
