The Security-Development-Migration nexus interrogated: 'Global' Britain, EU and beyond

Using recent British political developments such as Brexit and the DfiD/FCO merger as a jumping-off point, this roundtable brings together experts to challenge assumptions about the links between security, migration, and development made by Britain, the EU and beyond.

To what extent are ‘soft power’ and security strategies driven by the assumption that reduced migration will be a beneficial outcome of successful military interventions and development policies? Can and should security and development be aligned or are there inevitable tensions in the nexus between security, migration and conflict?

Our event invites the expert speakers to examine underlying assumptions about the security-development-migration nexus, challenge the meaning of these concepts, and offer ideas about possible ways to re-conceptualise the nexus and its implications for UK policy at home and abroad.

A broader understanding of the nexus shows that there are complex, non-linear relationships between security, migration, and development. So, how well do British and EU regulatory regimes fit with an accurate image of the nexus, and what impacts might recent political challenges and institutional transformation have on the way the nexus is perceived? Additionally, how might recent changes in the political landscape ultimately affect conflict, development, and migration outcomes in the future?

We are very pleased to have Nic Hailey, Director of International Alert, former FCO and lead on the DfiD/FCO merger, Nancy Porsia, freelance journalist, and Dr Alistair Shepherd, Senior Lecturer in European Security at Aberystwyth University, offering their expertise at this event.

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Please note that the University of York is promoting a message of protect, respect and be kind in relation to Covid-19 .

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