Luna VIVES

Luna Vives is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at Université de Montréal, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales (CÉRIUM). Her research examines how governments in Europe and North America utilize borders to manage spontaneous migration, with a focus on the impacts on vulnerable groups like unaccompanied migrant children. She holds dual appointments in the Department of Geography and CÉRIUM, and teaches courses on migration geopolitics and European geography.

Her work investigates maritime search-and-rescue systems, border militarization, and the human rights implications of restrictive migration policies. Notable projects include leading a SSHRC-funded study on EU maritime migration control and co-leading a FRQSC-funded team on Quebec migration research (ÉRIQA). She has supervised master's theses on topics like Haitian migration to Quebec and Canada's asylum policies.

Key research themes include:

• EU/North American border strategies
• Unaccompanied minors' protection
• Maritime SAR system erosion
• Postcolonial migration dynamics

Her upcoming book (2025) analyzes Spain's SAR system in migration contexts. Recent publications address state violence at borders, Canada-US asylum dynamics, and Mediterranean migration statistics. She collaborates with international networks including the EU-funded REBOUND project on transnational authority.

Current research initiatives include:

• Digital migration management systems (SSHRC 2025-2026)
• EU border democracy resilience (2019-2023)

Luna is part of interdisciplinary teams like ÉRIQA and CÉRIUM, contributing to policy-relevant studies on migration governance, refugee protection, and transnational advocacy networks. Her work bridges geography, politics, and human rights to critically analyze global migration regimes.