The postcolonial migration state

The evolution of migration policymaking across the Global South is growing interest to International Relations. Yet, impact colonial and imperial legacies on states’ management regimes outside Europe North America remains under-theorised. How does postcolonial state formation shape policies cross-border mobility in South? By bringing James F. Hollifield’s framework contemporary ‘migration state’ conversation with critical scholarship postcolonialism, we identify existence a ‘postcolonial paradox,’ namely two sets tensions faced by newly independent states South: first, need construct modern sovereign nation-state well-defined national identity contrasts weak institutional capacity do so; second, territorial realities sovereignty conflict imperatives nation-building seeking establish exclusive citizenship norms towards populations residing both inside boundaries state. We argue that use control reconcile such transforms into state,’ which shows distinct continuities pre-independence practices. In fact, reproduce colonial-era tropes via surveillance segmented streams redistribute labour for global economy. demonstrate this comparative study post-independence India Egypt, also aims merge problematic regional divide between Middle East Asia. urge further interventions international politics prioritise interregional perspectives from broader South.