ABSTRACT
Using empirical examples from around the world, this chapter discusses the distinctions drawn between the categories of ‘migrant’ and ‘refugee’, and the historical and political reasons why those distinctions are drawn. We survey the academic and policy debates around the categories, pointing out the consequences and problems associated with dividing people into sharply differentiated categories. In particular, we use the example of Afghan migrants to illustrate how motivations for migration can be mixed and can vary over time. The chapter suggests that these definitions are not useful, and far from offering protection to refugees, actually put vulnerable migrants at risk.
