Abstract
Migration and Refugee Studies, as an academic discipline, centralizes its focus on understanding human mobility across geopolitical boundaries. It delves into migration patterns, integration challenges, policy frameworks, and humanitarian interventions. However, the field neglects to integrate a cross-disciplinary approach that includes animal migration, which has parallels to human migration. This disciplinary divide does not allow for a comprehensive understanding of migration, which is a prevalent behavior among many species. Human migration studies analyze social, economic, and political factors, while animal migration studies explore physiological, ecological, and evolutionary aspects. Despite these differences, common drivers such as climate-induced displacement, conflict, and resource scarcity affect both human and animal migration. An interdisciplinary approach would enhance the understanding of migration as a natural phenomenon and promote a change in narrative by framing it as an adaptive biological response. The methodology employed in this research involves a qualitative approach, utilizing a thorough literature review to establish the current state of research on human and animal migration. By integrating social and biological perspectives, this research provides a unified view of migratory behaviors, highlighting the shared evolutionary roots and survival strategies across species. This approach challenges negative rhetoric associated with human migration, promoting a compassionate and scientifically grounded understanding of human mobility as a natural response to survival and progress.
Presenters
Marielys Padua SotoMA Student, Migration and Refugee Studies, The American University in Cairo, Al Jizah, Egypt
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Migration and Refugee Studies, Human Mobility, Animal Migration, Cross-Disciplinary Approach
