Looking beyond and into the border: understanding the concept of (il)legality along the Ethiopia-Sudan border.

Human migration is a defining feature of our world, yet the simplistic binary categorization of “legal” versus “illegal” movement often obscures the complexities of cross-border movement. This paper examines the nuanced spectrum of (il)legality along the Ethiopia-Sudan border, focusing on how legal frameworks and social perceptions of (il)legality shape experiences of migrants and people on the move. The study proposes categorizing migration as including sectoral classifications (laborers, tourists) and legality-based situations (overstays, illegal routes). Building upon ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2017 and 2021, the paper analyzes the discrepancies between national migration legislation, on-the-ground enforcement practices, and lived realities of migrants and border communities while acknowledging a multifaceted landscape of performances. By exploring this dynamic, the paper contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the concept of (il)legality in migration studies, in particular in the context of the Ethiopia-Sudan border, while providing insights that extend beyond this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]