• Migration in Political Theory: The Ethics of Movement and Membership. Sarah Fine and Lea Ypi (eds). Oxford University Press. 2016.

Sarah Fine and Lea Ypi bring together essays from well-known political and legal theorists examining pressing questions including the legitimacy of border controls and the human right to freedom of movement. Clara Sandelind recommended the book as an excellent introduction to the ethics of migration that also offers novel contributions to the field.

• Insider Research on Migration and Mobility: International Perspectives on Researcher Positioning. Lejla Voloder and Liudmila Kirpitchenko (eds). Ashgate. 2014.

Bringing together international scholarship in the sociology and anthropology of migration, this volume explores the complexities, joys and frustrations of conducting ‘insider’ research and the key methodological, ethical and epistemological challenges faced by migration researchers as they question the ways in which they come to identify with their research topic or their participants. Michelle Lawson recommended this book to anyone interested in migration, mobility and researcher positioning.

• Living on the Margins: Undocumented Migrants in a Global City. Alice Bloch and Sonia McKay. Policy Press. 2016.

Alice Bloch and Sonia McKay capture the lived experiences of undocumented migrants in London as well as the views of their employers, not only showing the challenges faced by those living without documentation, but also exploring current legislation and policies that are shaping these experiences. Gayle Munro recommended this book for clearly articulating the lives of undocumented migrants at a time when the legislative net is tightening.

• Border Watch: Cultures of Immigration, Detention and Control. Alexandra Hall. Pluto Press. 2012.

Despite periodic media scandals, remarkably little has been written about the everyday workings of the grassroots immigration system, or about the people charged with enacting immigration policy at local levels. Detention, particularly, is a hidden side of border politics, despite its growing international importance as a tool of control and security. Lucy Mayblin found this ensuing volume hugely impressive.

Find the full list of books: LSE website