This course examines the gap between the rights migrants have on paper and the realities they face in practice. In the first part, students will explore how international law seeks to protect refugees and migrants, analyzing landmark treaties and cases that define these protections. In the second part, attention shifts to the political forces that shape whether these rights are upheld or denied. Drawing on case studies from different countries, students will learn both the legal standards and the political realities that determine whether migrants rights are effectively protected or undermined.