Rethinking the production of knowledge on migration: a moral economies approach

This Special Issue introduces the analytical perspective of moral economies to the study of knowledge production on migration. In this introduction, we reflect on ways in which (1) the morally charged production of migration-related knowledge and (2) the knowledge-based production of the morality of migration and migrants can be connected with (3) an analysis of moral economies that takes the material dimension of knowledge production into account. It does so by exploring how these moral-epistemic economies shape policies, structure the distribution of rights and resources, and influence who defines what is good or right. We argue that the contributions to this Special Issue bring to light three key moral-epistemic practices that actors in migration-related contexts employ: (1) evaluating the 'morals of the others'; (2) mediating and mediatising moral economies, and (3) (in)visibilising the moral dimension of knowledge production. Moreover, we argue that the lens of 'competing moral economies' can serve as a reflexive tool to deconstruct dominant framings of the moral self and the immoral other. Finally, we argue that in order to realise the full potential of the moral economies perspective it also needs to be applied to academic knowledge production on migration.