Introduction: the production of irregular migration

The argument that irregularity is produced rather than an intrinsic characteristic of a particular individual on the move is centre stage of this handbook. As a result, processes and dynamics that generate and reproduce irregularity and selective representations of who counts as an irregular migrant are critically examined. We approach irregular migration from a plurality of perspectives and, acknowledging that research on irregular migration has traditionally been dominated by a ‘northern optic’, contributors from different parts of the world and with different background have been invited to contribute to this handbook. We explicitly take into account that irregular migration is inherently linked to geopolitics, geo-historical relations, migration politics, and economic considerations in the light of globalization and capitalism. Rather than an exception or social pathology, irregular migration should be understood as a structural feature of post-industrial societies and global inequality dynamics.