Towards a Theory of Illegal Migration: historical and structural components

Illegal migration— also known as clandestine, undocumented or irregular migration—appears frequently in contemporary popular and political discourses; yet there is relatively little theoretical literature on the phenomenon. Nearly all academic and other discussions of the topic take as axiomatic that illegal migration is a ‘problem’, without pausing to question its rapid rise to prominence and the underlying issues that may be involved. It is the aim of this paper to search a little deeper into the historical and structural factors germane to the phenomenon: little attention will be paid to detailed empirical matters, since such information is available elsewhere. I start with some definitional issues then, taking an overview of the history of migration controls, I proceed to a discussion of the complex structural factors that have contributed to the emergence of illegal migration as a putative ‘crisis’ in the developed world.