To mark 2021 International Migrants Day, we are releasing a new episode of Conversations with IRiS dedicated to understanding the policy encounter between climate change and international migration, how it began, who was involved and where it is heading. Professor Nando Sigona, Director of IRiS, speaks with Dr Sarah Louise Nash, author of "Negotiating Migration... Continue Reading →
We are delighted to share the new website of the NODE network. The network is led by us at the University of Birmingham and the Institute for Asian Migrations at Waseda University and was initially funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council and the Japan Foundation. Together with the information of the network... Continue Reading →
New NODE UK|Japan Working Paper (NODE no. 7) out today. Professor Chris Burgess of Tsuda University writes that, while few have remained untouched by the effects of COVID-19, migrants have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic in terms of mobility (movement restrictions), employment (loss of jobs), and health (high infection rates). He also points out... Continue Reading →
Anna Papoutsi talks to Natani Petros about identity and belonging among second generation individuals of African decent in Athens (Greece). We discuss the experience of growing up under a citizenship regime that is based on jus sanguinis, meaning that nationality is determined by the nationality of the parents and not the place of birth (jus... Continue Reading →
The Forum for Global Challenges (3-5 May 2022), a major biennial conference seeking to catalyse solutions to the some of the most pressing challenges of our time such as climate change and inequality, is inviting contributions to the programme on ‘reimaging movement for connected and sustainable societies’. The Forum is organised by the University of Birmingham, through its Institute for Global Innovation,... Continue Reading →
On 13 December at 10 am (GMT) we are launching the special issue of Comparative Migration Studies edited and authored by members of the NODE UK|Japan academic network. We will hear from editors and authors and celebrate the network with the launch of the new NODE portal. All articles are available open access on Comparative... Continue Reading →
Belarus-EU refugee standoff is the latest example of the UN refugee convention under strain. Belarus and the European Union are raising their stakes in a standoff over refugees and migrants at the Belarusian-Polish border. The EU is imposing more sanctions on entities in Belarus, while Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is threatening to cut gas supplies to Europe.... Continue Reading →
After a year and almost thirty episodes of Conversations with Iris as zoomcast, Stefano Piemontese and Nando Sigona explain why it was time to launch also a podcast version. The podcast is available on Google, Apple Podcast, and Spotify. Before the pandemic, IRiS hosted monthly seminars on campus, inviting scholars, writers, and activists to present their work and discuss it with... Continue Reading →
The next NODE UK|Japan webinar is on Tuesday 26 October 2021 at 9am (BST)/ 5pm (JST) and looks into migration and diversity governance in Japan and the UK. We have to excellent early career speakers: Szymon Parzniewski and Nobuko Nagai. Szymon Parzniewski's (University of Manchester) talk is entitled: "Moving from ‘ambiguous’ multiculturalism to ‘tacit’ superdiversity? Effects... Continue Reading →
Birmingham Fellow and IRiS researcher Dr Jenny Allsopp shares the perspectives of British Afghan refugees on the Taliban's recent return to power. Originally published in Social Policy Matters. The WhatsApp messages and emails started pinging on my phone the evening of August 15th, soon after the Taliban arrived in Kabul. “Do you know anyone who can help... Continue Reading →
Conversations with Iris
The Age of Superdiversity 