Migrants, migration and the security paradigm: constraints and opportunities

Scholars of migration have struggled with the concept of security since it was first connected with migrants in the early 1990s. The initial reaction was frequently a total rejection of any association between the two, emphasizing the usually negative effects of the security discourse on migrants. The security paradigm is now becoming so ingrained that it is impossible to ignore the impact of security concerns on the development of migration policy. This article examines the historical development of the security approach through the response to Algerian migrants in France over the decade from 1993 to 2003. This leads to the development of a critical security position that does not reject the security focus but combines it with a constructivist approach in an attempt to explain recent developments in attitudes to migrants and migration in Europe.