Migration concentration

August 7, 2018

What happened?

The number of conflict refugees worldwide has reached a world record of 1% of the world population. According to the 2018 Global Peace Index, that shows that the world is less peaceful now than it was over the last 10 years. With the influx of migrants to Europe following the Syrian crisis, the 2015-2016 migration crisis led to many political tensions and is still causing stress within and between nations. Recently, after a populist anti-immigration coalition took office, Italy refused to offer safe harbor to a rescue ship carrying 629 migrants, giving rise to a diplomatic debate between the country and the EU. In July, Austria’s anti-immigration government will make migration the centerpiece of its half-year presidency of the EU.

What does this mean?

When the number of conflict refugees surges, data on migration are often used as political tools. Concerns over “invasions” of refugees, for example, contributed to the election of Donald Trump and swayed Brexit voters. Nature made the case that data show the situation in 2017 was different from how it was often portrayed and that international migration tracking can be messy and ambiguous. Furthermore, although it is commonly believed that the volume of international migration of any kind has increased, research shows that this belief is largely untested and that global migration patterns in the period of 1960-2000 challenge this idea. However, the study also shows that the origins and the destinations of migrants have changed. The range of countries people are fleeing from has become wider and the range of countries people are fleeing to has become narrower. Wealthier countries attract the most migrants (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the U.K., as well as Scandinavia, have surplus migration). As such, the volume of migrants may increase at a smaller number of hubs. Furthermore, it is easier than ever before to travel long-distances. And thus, if conflicts increase, this will impact countries far away, as the wave of Syrian refugees in Europe has shown.

What's next?

If this trend continues and the number of safe havens that attract immigrants declines further, right-wing governments will increase efforts to keep them out, while others will try to reduce or prevent the conflicts abroad. An analogy can be drawn to the trend of migration on a more local scale: rapid urbanization. Cities can be seen as hubs attracting people from all over the country, the urban-rural rift representing a demarcation between the haves and the have-nots and governments put effort into making it attractive to stay in the countryside, e.g. offering free housing to fight depopulation.

Series 'AI Metaphors'

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1. The tool
Category: the object
Humans shape tools.

We make them part of our body while we melt their essence with our intentions. They require some finesse to use but they never fool us or trick us. Humans use tools, tools never use humans.

We are the masters determining their course, integrating them gracefully into the minutiae of our everyday lives. Immovable and unyielding, they remain reliant on our guidance, devoid of desire and intent, they remain exactly where we leave them, their functionality unchanging over time.

We retain the ultimate authority, able to discard them at will or, in today's context, simply power them down. Though they may occasionally foster irritation, largely they stand steadfast, loyal allies in our daily toils.

Thus we place our faith in tools, acknowledging that they are mere reflections of our own capabilities. In them, there is no entity to venerate or fault but ourselves, for they are but inert extensions of our own being, inanimate and steadfast, awaiting our command.
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2. The machine
Category: the object
Unlike a mere tool, the machine does not need the guidance of our hand, operating autonomously through its intricate network of gears and wheels. It achieves feats of motion that surpass the wildest human imaginations, harboring a power reminiscent of a cavalry of horses. Though it demands maintenance to replace broken parts and fix malfunctions, it mostly acts independently, allowing us to retreat and become mere observers to its diligent performance. We interact with it through buttons and handles, guiding its operations with minor adjustments and feedback as it works tirelessly. Embodying relentless purpose, laboring in a cycle of infinite repetition, the machine is a testament to human ingenuity manifested in metal and motion.
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3. The robot
Category: the object
There it stands, propelled by artificial limbs, boasting a torso, a pair of arms, and a lustrous metallic head. It approaches with a deliberate pace, the LED bulbs that mimic eyes fixating on me, inquiring gently if there lies any task within its capacity that it may undertake on my behalf. Whether to rid my living space of dust or to fetch me a chilled beverage, this never complaining attendant stands ready, devoid of grievances and ever-willing to assist. Its presence offers a reservoir of possibilities; a font of information to quell my curiosities, a silent companion in moments of solitude, embodying a spectrum of roles — confidant, servant, companion, and perhaps even a paramour. The modern robot, it seems, transcends categorizations, embracing a myriad of identities in its service to the contemporary individual.
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4. Intelligence
Category: the object
We sit together in a quiet interrogation room. My questions, varied and abundant, flow ceaselessly, weaving from abstract math problems to concrete realities of daily life, a labyrinthine inquiry designed to outsmart the ‘thing’ before me. Yet, with each probe, it responds with humanlike insight, echoing empathy and kindred spirit in its words. As the dialogue deepens, my approach softens, reverence replacing casual engagement as I ponder the appropriate pronoun for this ‘entity’ that seems to transcend its mechanical origin. It is then, in this delicate interplay of exchanging words, that an unprecedented connection takes root that stirs an intense doubt on my side, am I truly having a dia-logos? Do I encounter intelligence in front of me?
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5. The medium
Category: the object
When we cross a landscape by train and look outside, our gaze involuntarily sweeps across the scenery, unable to anchor on any fixed point. Our expression looks dull, and we might appear glassy-eyed, as if our eyes have lost their function. Time passes by. Then our attention diverts to the mobile in hand, and suddenly our eyes light up, energized by the visual cues of short videos, while our thumbs navigate us through the stream of content. The daze transforms, bringing a heady rush of excitement with every swipe, pulling us from a state of meditative trance to a state of eager consumption. But this flow is pierced by the sudden ring of a call, snapping us again to a different kind of focus. We plug in our earbuds, intermittently shutting our eyes, as we withdraw further from the immediate physical space, venturing into a digital auditory world. Moments pass in immersed conversation before we resurface, hanging up and rediscovering the room we've left behind. In this cycle of transitory focus, it is evident that the medium, indeed, is the message.
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6. The artisan
Category: the human
The razor-sharp knife rests effortlessly in one hand, while the other orchestrates with poised assurance, steering clear of the unforgiving edge. The chef moves with liquid grace, with fluid and swift movements the ingredients yield to his expertise. Each gesture flows into the next, guided by intuition honed through countless repetitions. He knows what is necessary, how the ingredients will respond to his hand and which path to follow, but the process is never exactly the same, no dish is ever truly identical. While his technique is impeccable, minute variation and the pursuit of perfection are always in play. Here, in the subtle play of steel and flesh, a master chef crafts not just a dish, but art. We're witnessing an artisan at work.
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About the author(s)

Researcher Julia Rijssenbeek focuses on our relationship to nature, sustainable and technological transitions in the food system, and the geopolitics of our global food sytems. She is currently working on her PhD in philosophy of technology at Wageningen University, investigating how synthetic biology might alter philosophical ideas about nature and the values we hold, as well as what a bio-based future may bring.

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