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 →
Young Refugees Respond to the Taliban’s Return
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 →
Indigenous migration in Mexico, Guatemala and the USA: Valentina Glockner and Walter G. Flores speak to Jenny Allsopp
This conversation examines the unresearched phenomenon of indigenous migration with a focus on Guatemala, Mexico and the US diaspora. Despite the heterogeneity of indigenous populations in terms of language culture, age, gender and family make-up, they often face a range of specific vulnerabilities on the move. The challenges they meet both on their journey and once... Continue Reading →
Brexit, viral borders and vaccine nationalism
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 →
My escape from COVID-19: Turkey’s emergency return programme for Turkish citizens abroad
By Bircan Ciytak (PhD student, University of Birmingham) On April 15, 2020, the Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated that, as part of the Covid-19 return program, around 25 thousand Turkish citizens from 70 countries, the majority of whom are students, were flown back to Turkey and kept in quarantine upon arrival for 14 days... Continue Reading →
The migrant city at the time of Covid-19: Lyndsey Stonebridge talks to Les Back
Today we are launching the first episode of IRiS new Zoomcast series on mobility and immobility. "Conversations with Iris" will be a space where we will be in dialogue with fellow researchers, teachers, writers, migrants, refugees, activists, community organisers, artists and policy makers on issues related to the current pandemic and much more. It is... Continue Reading →
Rome mayor’s anti-migrant stance signals shift to right for Italy’s Five Star Movement
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham
The mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, believes the Italian capital is facing a new migrant emergency. “We can’t afford new arrivals,” she argued in a letter sent to Italy’s Ministry of Interior on June 15. “Rome’s reception capacity is on its knees,” she continued, adding that new arrivals would have “devastating social costs”. According to the Italian interior minister, Marco Minniti, new arrivals in Rome are in line with agreed quotas.
This was not Raggi’s view only six months ago, when she spoke in early December at an event hosted by the Roman Catholic Church to showcase positive responses to refugees in European cities. Raggi, who is from Beppe Grillo’s Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) or Five Star Movement, praised the role that cities such as Rome and Barcelona have in welcoming refugees and celebrated the contributions newcomers bring to society. In a post…
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Beyond Borders: How would a Brexit impact UK immigration?
Immigration is undoubtedly one of the most fundamental issues that will decide the outcome of the UK Referendum on EU membership, and arguably one of the most misunderstood and mispresented. As part of the University of Birmingham’s programme of events in the run up to the EU Referendum , the Institute for Research into Superdiversity... Continue Reading →