Migration, vulnerability and hostility in times of Covid-19: What can the law do? What are the prospects of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum?
MAPS Conference hosted by Queen Mary Immigration Law Programme
11 December 2020
Conflicting Responses to Refugees and Migrants in Covid-19 Europe
Vulnerability, Hostility and the Prospects of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum
2020 has been characterised by immense global upheaval due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has shed light on the barriers faced by forced migrants in accessing their rights. This conference will engage in a critical appraisal of the law’s response to the challenges faced by those searching safe haven in the current context. It will interrogate the law’s conflicting role in creating vulnerability and hostility, while also being a source of protection. This tension will be unpacked in three thematic panels and one expert roundtable, problematizing the unique position of forced migrants in times of emergency and considering the risks and opportunities of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum of the European Commission.
The conference is convened by Violeta Moreno-Lax and Niovi Vavoula (QMUL, Immigration Law Programme) as part of the MAPS Jean Monnet Network.
