Book review: Migration in Southeast Asia: IMISCOE regional reader

Citation

Lameky, V.Y. and Tasijawa, O. (2024), "Book review: Migration in Southeast Asia: IMISCOE regional reader", Southeast Asia: A Multidisciplinary Journal, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 85-87. https://doi.org/10.1108/SEAMJ-05-2024-087

Migration in Southeast Asia refers to the movement of people across national borders within the Southeast Asian region. This can encompass a variety of scenarios, such as individuals moving from one country to another for employment, education, family reunification or seeking asylum (Coxhead, 2014). The region has a complex and dynamic migration history, influenced by economic, social and political factors (Stange, Kourek, Sakdapolrak, & Sasiwongsaroj, 2019). Labor migration is a significant aspect, with many individuals seeking better job opportunities in countries with stronger economies. Additionally, there are cases of forced migration due to conflicts, environmental disasters or persecution. The movement of people in Southeast Asia has led to cultural exchange and diversity, contributing to the region’s rich tapestry of languages, traditions and ethnicities (Fong & Shibuya, 2020).

Sriprapha Petcharamesree’s long and varied contributions to human rights, especially in the context of ASEAN, prove her dedication to important issues in the region. Receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Oslo in 2017 was a fitting recognition of his efforts. Meanwhile, Mark Capaldi, with his focus on children in the context of free movement and other issues that affect their lives, shows his commitment to the protection of children and the eradication of child trafficking. Her role in organizations such as ECPAT International reflects her efforts to end child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Innovative measures to address the challenges of corruption, migrant smuggling and human trafficking in Southeast Asia must have a diverse approach and be in line with international responsibilities and regional commitments to prevent and eradicate corruption, protect migrants from exploitation and expand pathways for regular migration. Good management measures, including developing reporting mechanisms and protection for whistleblowers, are very important so officials can report corruption safely. Legal protection for whistleblowers, as mandated in the Indonesian law on the Eradication of the Crime of Human Trafficking, supports the effectiveness of this mechanism. Policies and regulations must be developed to reduce the risk of irregular migration, especially for children, and to support their welfare. This includes reforming labor laws in destination countries and holding employers accountable for the exploitation of young migrant workers. Cooperation and the exchange of information between countries are key elements in prevention efforts. Mechanisms such as the ASEAN Parties Against Corruption and the Bali Process in Southeast Asia facilitate this cooperation and begin to address corruption as a driver of human trafficking and smuggling. Finally, international instruments such as UNTOC, UNCAC and the ASEAN Convention provide a normative basis that supports these goals, forcing member countries to criminalize corruption and improve law enforcement and prosecution of these crimes.

In facing the complexity of migration challenges in Southeast Asia, this book is a target audience for academics and researchers and a valuable guide for policymakers, government officials, NGOs, students, legal practitioners, social activists and the concerned general public. With a focus on innovation, good governance and cross-border cooperation, this book opens a wide window into the realities of migration, provides an in-depth understanding of human rights issues and weaves progressive solutions to create a more just and safe environment across the region.

The uniqueness of this book lies in its approach to examining how concepts such as borders, citizenship and exclusion create vulnerability and in exploring the complex relationships between vulnerability, agency and resilience in the context of migration in Southeast Asia. This book provides an up-to-date picture of migration dynamics in the region. It makes a significant contribution conceptually, theoretically and practically, enriching our understanding of the principles of protection, provision and participation in the evolving migration context.

The implications resulting from this book are very broad, with significant contributions to understanding migration from various perspectives: (1) Changing the paradigm by offering a conceptual framework that goes beyond traditional views of borders, citizenship and exclusion. Highlights how these concepts create vulnerability and are interconnected with migrant agency and resilience. (2) Providing an empirical perspective on migration issues based on regional realities, this book is a rich source of information for researchers, policymakers and practitioners. (3) Covering a wide range of disciplines, this book provides a comprehensive view of migration, recognizing the complexity of this phenomenon and promoting a holistic approach. (4) It discusses historical issues and details the impact of contemporary events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on migration, opening a window to emerging challenges and opportunities. (5) Discussing the ontology of choice and the deontology of rights and obligations, this book provides valuable regional policy-making insights. (6) Exploration of the concept of ‘imagined communities' and how Southeast Asian countries construct their identities opens up an understanding of the exclusivity that can lead to marginalizing certain groups, including migrants. (7) The focus on child migration independently highlights the role of agency and resilience for children and adolescents in the context of migration.

Strengths of the book: (1) Comprehensive coverage of various aspects of migration in Southeast Asia, from citizenship and borders to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migration patterns. (2) Regional focus: by exploring migration in the context of Southeast Asia in depth, this book provides a rich understanding of the unique challenges and dynamics of the region. (3) Multidisciplinary perspectives on various migration aspects give readers a more holistic understanding. (4) Policy relevance by providing valuable guidance for policymakers, researchers and practitioners involved in migration. (4) The historical context of citizenship in the region provides an important temporal dimension for understanding current migration issues. Meanwhile, the book’s weaknesses are as follows: (1) Limited analysis of regional cooperation, gaps in policy implementation and lack of political will show real challenges in dealing with the complexity of migration issues in Southeast Asia. (2) Attention to data limitations emphasizes the need for a stronger information base to support the arguments and policies proposed in this book. Therefore, further efforts to collect comprehensive data could strengthen the book’s foundation and contribute to our understanding of regional migration.

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this communication.