Crossing the Boundary: Refugees and (Irregular/Nondocumented) Immigrants in India: Challenge of Integration

Abstract

This chapter takes on board the social aspects of South-South migration questions on the backdrop of the debate about the citizenship rights of immigrants, their cultural identity, and the perspective of the host country, i.e. India. In a multicultural society having cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity, the policy makers, legal structures, and the state machinery face the challenge of balancing sustainable development with equal access for a large section of people living in poverty, within the democratic framework. The field reality of the challenge of integration of refugees and irregular/nondocumented immigrants brings out the nuances of the issue, complexity in evolving a uniform policy, its implementation, and the role of inclusive civic education. It is suggested that the South-South migration question needs to be seen in a different context, considering the vast population and ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, added with the problem of poverty.