Letter from the editors

Throughout 2023, migration has remained a focal point in global political and social discourse. Numerous events have arisen in which migration issues have ascended to the forefront of national, regional and global agendas, underscoring the significance and urgency of addressing the complexities and challenges associated with migration. The earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on February 6 resulted in the deaths and displacement of thousands, including citizens, refugees and IDPs. Similarly, September 2023 witnessed a devastating earthquake resulting in loss of life, destruction and displacement in Morocco. The Mediterranean returned to the spotlight with the sinking of the Messina boat in the summer of 2023. Despite a human rights court ruling against the Tory government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, the British government continues to explore options for externalization. These actions underscore efforts to uphold the fundamental right to protection. In October, more than 100,000 local residents of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia, refusing to live under Azerbaijani rule after Azerbaijan's recent large-scale offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh. The recent Israeli offensive on Gaza displaced an estimated 1.7 million people, according to UN agency estimates while the conflict in Sudan has resulted in the displacement of over 6 million persons. Beyond the acts of migration, the wide-ranging impacts of migration on societies fuel increasingly intense social and political debates worldwide. The significance of migration is evident in the rise of far-right political parties gaining traction in parliamentary elections across Europe. These political shifts impact migration policies, the future of migration to Europe and elsewhere, and various migrant and diaspora communities across the world. The intersection of elections, electoral campaign, and migration extends beyond mere discussions of policy impact or attitudes. As exemplified by the recent elections in Poland, votes from abroad proved crucial in electoral outcomes and political processes. The recent Dutch election results also reflect how intractable the issue of migration remains in many countries of the Western world. All these events and developments demonstrate the urgent need to restore reason and democratic debate to discussions around migration issues. By fostering an inclusive and evidence-based discourse, policymakers can develop comprehensive solutions that address the root causes of migration, promote social cohesion, and uphold democratic values. It is through reasoned debate that we can navigate the complexities of migration and build a more just and inclusive world. In its pursuit of advancing migration scholarship, International Migration continues to publish top-quality research. Since its launch in 2020, the commentaries section has served as a platform for leading researchers and experts to discuss pivotal events and trends. In 2023, International Migration published a series of commentaries commemorating Stephen Castles and his contribution the field of migration scholarship (Collins, 2023; Delgado Wise, 2023; Landau, 2023; Ozkul, 2023). Other commentaries (61:2) focussed on ethical considerations in researching child or minor migration, offering insights for future researchers (Achilli, 2023; Lems, 2023; Ruehs-Navarro, 2023). Issue 3 of 2023 delved into the politics of boundary making in migration knowledge production with contributions by Carling (2023), Reed and Schenck (2023) and Samaddar (2023). Following the Turkey–Syria earthquake, a series of commentaries (61:4) highlighted wider implications of migration, emplacement and resettlement in situation of natural disasters (Buhaug, 2023; Comfort, 2023; Kamal, 2023; Quetulio-Navarra, 2023; Sevinin et al., 2023). The commentaries of Issue 5 discussed various forms of bordering and surveillance at and beyond territorial borders (Aradau, 2023; Frowd et al., 2023; Molnar, 2023; Topak, 2023; Walters, 2023). The year concluded with commentaries on food insecurity and migration by Ramachandran and Crush (2023), Etzold and Müller-Koné (2023) and Yenal (2023). In 2024, the commentary section aims to spotlight key themes in social sciences intersecting with migration. The inaugural issue explores gender and migration, with forthcoming issues addressing aging, race, class and other topics. International Migration continues to invite special issue submissions, providing a platform to address gaps in existing scholarship. In 2023, several special issues and sections were published, including African International Migration to the West: Insights from Canada, Australia, and Nigeria edited by Okeke-Ihejirika and Assimilation, integration or transnationalism? An Overview of theories of migrant incorporation edited by Laubenthal (61:1). Seeking to advance discussions on migrant entrepreneurship, the special section Regulation of migrant entrepreneurship: The strained conjunction of laws, policies and practices edited by Solano, Ram and Rath was published (61:2). Yanaşmayan edited the special section, Post-2015 refugees in Germany: “Culture of welcome”, solidarity or exclusion? (61:3). Contributing to burgeoning literature on intersection of migration and climate change Environmental (im)mobilities: Improving the evidence base for effective policy making was edited by Martin and Bergmann (61:5). These issues contributed to ongoing debates around migrant and refugee integration, theories of migrant incorporation, migrant entrepreneurship, refugees in Germany post-2015, and the intersection of migration and climate change. In 2024, the editorial team remains dedicated to publishing timely and cutting-edge research on diverse forms of migration across various geographical contexts. In 2023, we received manuscripts from all around the world and we persist in advancing the field of migration scholarship and endeavours to include perspectives from the Global South, fostering discussions among diverse expert voices worldwide. With the release of the first issue of 2024, the editors extend gratitude to contributing authors for choosing International Migration, reviewers for their diligent efforts in the peer review process, journal readers for their continued engagement, Wiley colleagues for technical support and the International Organization for Migration for sponsoring International Migration.

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