Modern Migration, Globalization and the Challenges of International Security

This paper critically interrogates the dynamics of modern migration, globalization, and the international security challenges they generate within the world system. While global migration is inevitable in the age of globalization; global migration has become a vehicle for the spread of deadly diseases and international organized crimes, making the world unsafe for everyone. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, Ebola and lately, COVID-19 which killed many in time past spread throughout the world due to modern migration and globalization. Also, criminal networks across international borders have taken advantage of modern migration to expand their illicit trade in arms, narcotics, migrant smuggling, human trafficking and terrorism, making it extremely difficult for governments to deal with. However, the paper posited that while modern migration and globalization have contributed in no small measure to mobility of labor force and enormous wealth to some parts of the world in an unprecedented manner, same phenomena have engendered poverty and lack in some parts of the world especially, the Global South countries predominantly in Africa and Asia, whose citizens resort to irregular migration as a survival strategy, despite the risks involved. Using the world system’s theory, the paper maintained that global migration started with Trans-Atlantic slave trade, followed by colonization and today’s neo-liberal globalization, all driven by capital accumulation. In the light of the above, the paper concluded and suggested the need for global response by different countries to tackle these challenges by prioritizing border security to protect their citizens from crimes and diseases. Also, there is the need for responsible leadership and good governance in the Global South to create opportunities, and to engender development and discourage irregular migration from the Global South.