Colonial continuities and their influence on knowledge production on the migration and climate change nexus : A policy analysis of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

Abstract: Climate change is one of the greatest challenges currectly facing humanity. Its impacts lead to the displacement of people through sea level rise, desertification, drought, flood and other ecological disaster. The global imbalance of power results in people being unequally affected by climate change. This power imbalance affects the policy-making of intergovernmental institutions and knowledge production in policy processes. This thesis conducts a policy analysis to elaborate colonial continuities that influence knowledge production on migration and climate change. Therefore, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) is examined. The theoretical framework of the thesis draws on knowledge and power, modernity/coloniality, and racial capitalism. Findings suggest that the influences of colonial continuities on knowledge production about climate change and migration are reflected in underlying colonial epistemological and ontological assumptions, power structures and the hegemonic discourse. Alternative knowledges, such as those contributed by civil society actors are side-lined during the process and not included in the final document. The GCM does not consider the link between environmental change and racial capitalism or colonial power imbalance, but looks at only one of the adaptation strategies and presents it as a problem: human migration. Instead of addressing the root of the problem and holding polluting countries accountable for their inaction, the GCM focuses on migration control.