Conclusion

The transformations in global migration governance that unfolded during the ‘long 1970s’ – spanning from the late 1960s to the early 1980s – were not merely policy adjustments; they marked a profound shift in how nations viewed immigrants, borders, and their place within a rapidly changing world. As this volume has illuminated, the decade witnessed the crystallisation of debates and policy shifts that continue to shape contemporary migration issues. In the chapters of this volume, key patterns have emerged, underscoring the magnitude of this turning point: the rise of the human rights discourse, the expansion of government programmes aimed at immigrants, the growing public reluctance towards immigration that resulted in more restrictive border controls, and the fractious nature of the global migration regime as it began to form. By interweaving these themes, this volume has highlighted the pivotal role of the 1970s as a crucible in which modern migration governance was forged, revealing how the decade’s developments laid the foundations for today’s migration policies and global governance dilemmas.