The world is witnessing a rise in wars, invasions, violent conflict, and political instability, driving forced migration across multiple regions. The number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) globally has reached record levels. According to the UNHCR, over 120 million people are currently displaced worldwide, with protracted crises unfolding in Armenia, the DRC, Ethiopia, Gaza, Myanmar, Somalia, the Sahel, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen, among many others.

Violent conflicts profoundly reshape people's (im)mobilities, revealing the intersecting trajectories of internal and cross-border movements. These forced (im)mobilities redefine social relations, influencing family structures, political mobilizations, economic livelihoods, and cultural expressions – locally, translocally, and across borders. With displacement increasingly becoming protracted, the organization of humanitarian relief and international refugee protection faces mounting challenges. Simultaneously, migrants and refugees are increasingly framed as national security threats, serving as a political justification for human rights infringements and the militarization of borders.

The contributions in this special section on migration, war and violent conflict address this topic from a variety of empirical, methodological, and theoretical angles. 

Borders and Bordering Processes

Borders are an integral part of everyday life. They can be physical manifestations, marking the boundaries between countries or other political entities, or they can be symbolic, representing social, economic, political, racial or other divisions, both real and imagined. Borders allow some to pass while excluding others, thus offering both protection and risk. While natural features like mountains, rivers, or seas can form borders, borders are primarily sociopolitical constructs. These constructs involve processes that extend beyond geographical lines and manifest in daily social interactions, impacting (im)mobilities, identities and relations.

The contributions in this special section on borders and bordering processes address this topic theoretically, empirically, methodologically or creatively in a variety of ways.