Guest blog by Isaac Brewer, postgraduate student at LSE studying International Migration and Public Policy, exploring the shifting role of migrant social networks in addressing labour shortages in post-Brexit Britain Immigrant social networks (particularly of EU-origin) have long helped employers in low-paying labour markets to fill vacancies. Since the post-Brexit immigration system was introduced in... Continue Reading →
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham In her address to the Labour party conference, the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, confirmed plans to overhaul the rules for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). These include increasing the time someone must live in the UK to be eligible for ILR from five years to ten. ILR is the... Continue Reading →
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham The immigration debate has long shaped political agendas in the US and Europe, often escalating in times of social or economic uncertainty. In the US election, a tough-on-immigration stance from president-elect Donald Trump, including promises of mass deportations, appears to have resonated with voters. History shows that these policies may... Continue Reading →
Researchers from the University of Birmingham and Lancaster University discuss the often-unheard views of migrants in the UK and British citizens living abroad on the coronation of King Charles III, Eurovision and much more. Such views are featured in a new season of the popular podcast Who do we think we are? Dedicated to ‘Global... 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 →
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 →
Author: Marisol Reyes, IRiS Research Associate The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our daily lives in many ways, with global and local inequalities evident in terms of infection and mortality rates and socio-economic impacts. Refugees are recognised to be a vulnerable population with a recent study by the World Health Organisation finding significant impact of COVID-19... Continue Reading →
By Michaela Benson (@michaelacbenson) and Nando Sigona (@nandosigona) (Originally published in The Sociological Review) Three weeks into 2021 and the end of the Brexit transition period, and not a day has passed where the borders haven’t made their presence felt in the news cycle. The coincidence of COVID and Brexit has produced a perfect storm,... Continue Reading →
Conversations with Iris: Podcast on migration, diversity and displacement
The Age of Superdiversity 