UNU Global Seminar
18th Shonan Session

Cross-border Movement of People

      

Within the context of changing international relations in the 21st century, the UNU Global Seminar 18th Shonan Session, organized jointly by the United Nations University (UNU) and the Kanagawa Foundation for Academic and Cultural Exchange (K-FACE), will explore the motivations of people to move across borders and its meanings.

The movement of people across national borders is becoming increasingly significant throughout the world. It is not, however, a recent phenomenon. As exemplified by the abundance of cross-cultural contacts since the dawn of history, including the emergence of trade, technology transfer, colonial systems, etc., world history is replete with instances of people relocating themselves. While careful reflection on the significance of historical developments is crucial, it is also necessary to carry out a thorough examination of phenomena that are peculiar to present times. This will be the goal of this year’s session.

Firstly, attention needs to be drawn to the underlying problems which motivate migrant workers and refugees around the world to move from one place to another. Such problems include poverty, contradictions in development strategies, ethnic disputes, the ever-expanding gap between the North and the South. When recognizing the selective, and sometimes even discriminatory, character of states’ welfare policies along with ethnic disputes and flaws in national and global governance mechanisms, the question that needs to be asked is: “How is it possible to ensure human security?”

Secondly, the migration of people across borders should not necessarily be seen as negative. While contact with other cultures can cause frictions, inter-cultural encounters can also spur the creation of new culture and offer a chance to surpass the limitations of a particular culture. In this context, the major question is: “How can we establish a truly international society through contacts with others by means of travel, studying or working abroad?”

Thirdly, regional and non-governmental organizations are responding to the present situation. The European Union, for example, pursues its goal of creating a “Social Europe” by supporting the free movement of people, goods and services within its territorial limits. NGOs, on the other hand, are aiming to offer help in realms where government attention is lacking.

The aim of this seminar is to offer participants an opportunity to consider old and new issues relating to people’s movement across borders from various perspectives, including historical developments, present-day analyses, socio-cultural transformations, as well as the responses of governments, international organizations and NGOs. The seminar will include lectures by specialists as well as discussions based on the active input of all participants.