Borders & Belonging
Migration is a complex phenomenon – for individuals, it is a personal journey that can result in struggle or triumph depending on life circumstances; and for countries, it can be an economic driver, or a source of social tension or even conflict.
Host Maggie Perzyna, a researcher with the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration program at Toronto Metropolitan University, explores the complexity of migration with the help of leading academics and professionals working with migrants on the ground.
In Season 1, Maggie debunks some of the biggest myths about migration. We’re proud to say the work received a 2023 Silver Signal Award. In Season 2, Maggie takes listeners on a world tour, asking questions like “What fuels xenophobia in South Africa?", "Is Japan becoming a migration state?" and “How is technology changing the places where people work and the countries trying to attract them?”
In Season 3, Maggie continues her mission, this time zooming in on the key questions being asked by migration scholars. Can sanctuary cities inspire innovative approaches to migrant and refugee urban integration? How can we put the principle, “nothing about us without us” into practice? And what does it mean to decentre migration research?
For show notes and transcripts, visit: https://www.torontomu.ca/cerc-migration/borders-and-belonging/
2023 and 2024 Silver Signal Award Winner
Episodes
35 episodes
Beyond the Big City
Not everything happens in big cities. This episode explores how small and mid-sized cities in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are attracting and retaining immigrants. Researchers unpack regional migration policies, what helps newcomers settl...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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42:26
Skills shortages, AI and the future of work
AI, aging populations, and the energy transition: how are these forces reshaping the job market and global migration? In this episode, distinguished guests walk us through how automation is transforming industries, influencing hiring, and impac...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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51:26
What’s driving migration?
What shapes migration patterns across different regions? How do economic, social, and political factors drive movement in unique ways? The MEMO project seeks to untangle these complexities, mapping the connections between internal, intraregiona...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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50:51
Rethinking Climate Migration: "Are We Missing the Point?"
In the premiere episode of Voices on the Move, a podcast by Migration Matters, experts delve into the complex relationship between climate change and migration. Scholars Dr. François Gemenne from the U...
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25:49
How do I decentre that?
Decentring research means challenging Western paradigms, amplifying diverse perspectives, and rethinking power dynamics and knowledge production. This is easier said than done, especially in migration studies, where control, security, and econo...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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50:26
False narratives with real consequences: The impact of social media disinformation on migration policy
The rise in false narratives surrounding immigrants and refugees is often amplified by social media and manipulated for political gain. In this episode, host Maggie Perzyna unpacks the dangerous intersection between digital disinformatio...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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50:41
Irregular not irrelevant: Conceptualizing and measuring irregular migration
When exploring the big questions migration scholars are asking, irregular migration is impossible to ignore. In this episode, Maggie Perzyna engages with activists and scholars on the ground to gain deeper insights into this complex issu...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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43:55
Artful connections: Challenging narratives of migration and belonging using arts-based methods
This episode takes a closer look at the powerful intersection of art and migration studies. How can creative expression challenge dominant narratives and help reshape the way we think about migration? Maggie Perzyna learns about art-base...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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55:02
What is a solidarity city?
This episode explores how cities can become sanctuaries for migrants and refugees. Follow Maggie Perzyna as she discovers how grassroots efforts and city-level practices can create more inclusive urban environments. We also hear about th...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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48:02
Nothing about us without us
Welcome back to Borders and Belonging! In the first episode of Season 3, host Maggie Perzyna explores the power of collective action and the importance of centering refugee voices. She is joined by three special guests to discuss how aca...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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51:44
Borders & Belonging: Season 3 Trailer
In Season 3 of Borders & Belonging, host Maggie Perzyna continues her mission, zooming in on the key questions being asked by migration scholars. What is the potential of city-level sanctuary policies to inspire innovative solutions ...
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Season 3
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1:33
The Conversation Weekly: The Brexit roots of the UK's Rwanda asylum plan – and why other EU leaders might want to copy it
A controversial British government plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been central to the UK’s response to a recent sharp increase in the number of people making the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats. But if the...
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31:16
Statelessness: No country to call home
In the Season 2 finale, host Maggie Perzyna asks her guests: What does it mean to live without a nationality? This episode of Borders & Belonging will dive into the complexities behind statelessness, its causes and social realities, and the...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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45:05
From oil to innovation: Changing economies in the Gulf
Did you know that the Middle East holds the world's highest ratio of migrants to its national population? From historical ties to the oil economy to the burgeoning knowledge-based economies of today, host Maggie Perzyna explores how evolving ec...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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43:58
Rising tides, sinking roots: Climate change, adaptation and mobility in Pacific Island nations
Land is a critical component of Pacific Island societies, and the impact of climate change on these populations is a growing global concern. Host Maggie Perzyna, along with esteemed guest researchers and a community consultant from one of the w...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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47:49
The Migration Podcast: "Road families" en route to the Mexico-US border
Itzel Eguiluz speaks with Alejandra Díaz de León about how the journey of Central American migrants walking north, through Mexico, is about much more than just having practical strategies to survive the journey.Solidarity, trust and soc...
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19:16
Is Japan turning into a migration state?
Despite its historical reputation for social, political, and legal closure and a certain reluctance towards admitting immigrants, Japan is taking steps towards a more inclusive national immigration policy. In this episode, host Maggie Perzyna a...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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50:11
The Arctic: Climate, resources and migration in times of change
While the Arctic has been home to Indigenous peoples for millennia, settlers in the past few centuries have been drawn to the region's remote wilderness, majestic landscapes and ample resources. More recently, global market forces and climate c...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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44:19
Migration & technology: The rise of digital nomads
A small but increasing number of today's knowledge workers are breaking free from traditional offices, using technology to craft a life that blends work, travel and freedom. In this episode, host Maggie Perzyna and her guests dive deep into the...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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42:21
Brokering borders: EU bilateral agreements and the price of ‘return migration’
In the pursuit of controlling its external borders, the European Union has forged numerous bilateral agreements with African countries. These agreements are not just pieces of paper, they're instruments that wield immense influence over the mov...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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43:53
Why is xenophobia so entrenched in South Africa?
In contrast to the late Desmond Tutu's hopeful aspirations for the "rainbow nation" and his efforts to champion human rights, post-apartheid South Africa has been marked by xenophobic violence, adding insecurities for both citizens and foreign ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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37:15
How border policies in the Americas are pushing people to travel across the treacherous Darién Gap
The Darién Gap, also dubbed as “Hell on Earth”, has become a leading transit point for migrants in search of work and safety in North America since authorities have cracked down on other routes by air and sea. In this episode, host Maggie Pe...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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38:25
Why are so many undocumented migrants in the US Indigenous?
Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants from Central America and Mexico make their way to the US border, fleeing violence, environmental destruction, persecution, and displacement. Many of these migrants are from indigenous groups. In the...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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39:35
Borders & Belonging: Season 2 Trailer
In Season 2 of Borders & Belonging, host Maggie Perzyna continues her mission to shed light on the voices and stories often overlooked. She takes listeners on a world tour, asking questions like “what fuels xenophobia in South Africa? Is Ja...
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Season 2
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1:46
Does brain drain hurt the Global South?
Many countries are mining the Global South for one of its vital natural resources – its people. This creates a ‘brain drain’ of professionals and academics leaving the Global South in search of better opportunities abroad. Why exact...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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38:03
