The double duality of migrant smugglers: an analytical framework

The author introduces the 'double duality' framework, arguing that smugglers are simultaneously perceived as problems and solutions by both migrants and states. For migrants, smugglers provide essential mobility but pose risks of exploitation; for states, smugglers undermine border control but provide 'moral capital' that justifies restrictive policies. The paper analyzes how destination states use a 'protection narrative'—casting smugglers as villains and migrants as victims—to maintain political authority while limiting asylum access. It further distinguishes between 'facilitation' and 'exploitation' to show that not all dangers faced by migrants originate from smugglers, and that counter-smuggling measures often shift risks onto the migrants themselves.

• The 'double duality' framework posits that smugglers occupy two simultaneous roles for both migrants and states: they are a 'threat, or a problem' and a 'resource, or a solution'. For migrants, they provide necessary migration opportunities but can be agents of abuse. For states, they challenge border control but serve as a source of 'moral capital' to justify anti-migrant measures by framing restrictive policies as protective actions against brutal smugglers.
• Migrant vulnerability during smuggling is often rooted in structural factors rather than the smugglers' intent. These foundations include physical isolation in deserts or at sea, the need for concealment, overcrowding of vehicles for profit, and a lack of legal protection. While smugglers can mitigate these risks, they may also exploit them for financial gain.
• Smugglers are driven by two primary incentives: avoiding prosecution and maximizing profit. Increased state penalties and counter-smuggling resources have led smugglers to minimize their own exposure, often by abandoning migrants or requiring them to complete journeys alone, effectively shifting the risk from the smuggler to the migrant.
• The author distinguishes between 'facilitation' (helping migrants overcome obstacles) and 'exploitation' (depriving migrants of resources or integrity for gain). While smuggling inherently involves facilitation, not all smuggling is exploitative, and not all exploitation is carried out by smugglers; other actors, such as militias or criminals, may exploit migrants within the smuggling context.
• Destination states have shifted their narrative from one of 'integrity and security' (targeting illegal labor migration) to a 'protection narrative'. In this current narrative, states cast themselves as heroes protecting 'naive and vulnerable victims' from 'cynical profiteers'. This framing allows states to maintain legitimacy while implementing measures that limit the ability of refugees to claim asylum.
• The role of smuggling in the European migration management system has evolved through three phases. It began as a pathway to illegal work, shifted toward a system of interception and detention, and has recently become a primary route for asylum seekers. The current state anxiety centers on the pathway where smuggling leads to approved asylum claims, which are viewed as 'unpopular and unwanted immigration'.

APA

Carling, J. (2023). The double duality of migrant smugglers: an analytical framework. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9d255880-a0f1-4aa9-aeee-50f4ce42993b/Carling 2023 The double duality of migrant smugglers.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Carling, Jørgen. The double duality of migrant smugglers: an analytical framework. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2023. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9d255880-a0f1-4aa9-aeee-50f4ce42993b/Carling 2023 The double duality of migrant smugglers.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Carling |first1=Jørgen |title=The double duality of migrant smugglers: an analytical framework |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2023 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9d255880-a0f1-4aa9-aeee-50f4ce42993b/Carling 2023 The double duality of migrant smugglers.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carling2023double, author = {Carling, Jørgen}, title = {{The double duality of migrant smugglers: an analytical framework}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2023}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9d255880-a0f1-4aa9-aeee-50f4ce42993b/Carling 2023 The double duality of migrant smugglers.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }