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.