Postcolonial migrations

Abstract

In this commentary, we argue for the relevance and importance of postcolonial theory to
\nthe study of migration and mobility. Building on a panel discussion at the 2009 Annual
\nMeeting of the Association of American Geographers, we highlight a number of different
\nways in which this could take place. We suggest three possible interventions: stretching
\nthe boundaries of the spaces of the postcolonial; interrogating the spatial connections that
\nare forged between disparate places through migration; and challenging singular or
\nhierarchical notions of identity and/or place. In these ways, we conclude that postcolonial
\ntheory can complicate and enhance our understanding of migration, and that attention to
\nmigration research could, in turn, facilitate a ‘social turn’ for postcolonial geographies.