Humane Migration : Establishing Legitimacy and Rights for Displaced People

Movement is central to human history, yet today has become arguably the most explosive social issue of our time. Few human dynamics entail as many human rights and wrongs as migration. Seeing migration anthropologically, through time and throughout the world, reveals tremendous resilience and mutual benefits inherent in cumulative moves and mixes of individuals and peoples. Within the global spread of Homo-sapiens are more than unprecedented collective impacts; the synergies and lessons are also invaluable at a time when migration and belonging are increasingly threatened for many.

This book reframes popular immigration discourse away from the violation of law to an emphasis on international migration as a human right, in the process, dismantling popular myths of immigrants as threats. It also explains the economic, political, social and environmental causes of migration on a planetary scale, given the global turmoil of our time. Lastly, it calls for policies that not only respect immigrant rights but recognize the many benefits brought by migrants to their new communities and adopted countries.

Christine G.T. Ho is a member of the faculty in the School of Human and Organization Development at Fielding Graduate University. Trained in social anthropology, Dr. Ho has been a professor for more than 20 years, having taught at University of California, Irvine, University of California, Los Angeles, University of South Florida in Tampa and Colgate University in New York, prior to Fielding. As the only anthropologist at Fielding until recently, she brings with her a worldview that centers on multiculturalism and cultural diversity as well as equality and social justice.

James Loucky began teaching at Western Washington University in 1989, and served as the director of international studies and programs from 1994-97. He specializes in Latin American affairs, international migration and intercultural education. For over twenty-five years, Loucky has been involved with the Maya of Guatemala, as both scholar and advocate. He is vitally concerned with the recognition of Mayan human rights in Guatemala and their immigrant rights in other countries.