Migrant Smuggling Data and Research

disrupt the activities of migrant smugglers; (d) promote research and data
collection on migrant smuggling.
Report Background
This project has brought together researchers and analysts working on
migrant smuggling throughout the world in order to review the current state
of data and research on the topic. Together, the authors who contributed to
this volume bring a rich and diverse set of experiences in migrant smuggling
expertise and academic disciplines, including anthropology, law, demography,
international relations, economics, political science and criminology. Authors
from academia, IOM, government, private sector organizations and policy think
tanks contributed.
Given the thematic nature of this report, a spatial approach to the review
was adopted with most chapters focusing on a single geographic region, such as
Europe, North Africa or South Asia. Three chapters have been devoted to specific
countries (Afghanistan, Turkey and the United States) including in recognition of
the particular issues they face. Within the confines of this publication, we cover
much of the globe. Part two of our review will cover remaining key regions, such
as Southern Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.
The review was undertaken within a limited time period, and has been
designed as a benchmark review with particular emphasis on data and research
over the last five years until the end of 2015. By working with authors with
considerable existing expertise and knowledge of the subject (and of their
regions), a timely review could be undertaken. Each chapter covers three broad
areas: (a) overview of smuggling in the region/country; (b) review of data on
migrant smuggling; and (c) review of migrant smuggling research. Suggestions
and recommendations aimed at further building the emerging evidence base
are also provided in each chapter (and summarized at the end of this chapter).
Given the nature of irregular migration and smuggling, chapters place emphasis
on different aspects of the topics depending, for example, on data collection
capacities, regional and other multilateral processes focused on countering
smuggling, operations of international organizations and NGOs in regions,
the extent to which the grey literature has developed and/or the academic
community has conducted fieldwork to inform research findings. Rather than
a full evaluation or assessment of data and research of migrant smuggling,
which would take considerably more time and would be much more costly (and
perhaps of not much more value in the longer term give the high tempo of the
field), this review provides policymakers, researchers and analysts working on
Migrant Smuggling Data and Research:
A global review of the emerging evidence base
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