Research challenges

Geopolitical shifts and power imbalances in a multipolar world are reigniting old conflicts and sparking new ones, destabilizing many regions. These effects are especially felt in the Global South, where most displaced people reside, despite Western fears about migration. Today’s unique challenge is the interplay between geopolitics and daily life. We witness the real-time violence of forced displacement from conflict or climate change, and the resilience of those affected. New alliances form across time and space, uniting disparate struggles under shared colonial and racial traumas. Movements like Black Lives Matter, the Arab Spring, and decolonization, along with gender and queer politics, have fostered global solidarity among the marginalized.

In this volatile context, migration and borders are even more relevant. Increasing displacement from war, state violence, environmental disasters, and poverty highlights the complexities of migration. Western border regimes have become more restrictive and technologically advanced, often leading to more migrant deaths and injuries. Racialized migrants and citizens, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are vilified and targeted by authorities to appease public opinion, especially during major election cycles.

This changing global order raises critical questions for our researchers. IRIS’s work engages with and responds to a rapidly changing world. We explore topical and timely issues related to migration, displacement and diversity, including citizenship, multilingualism and belonging, the economic impacts of diversity, access to welfare, sexual and gender-based violence, social cohesion and integration, youth and child migration, irregular migration and border regimes. Through the lens of superdiversity, we develop new theoretical and methodological approaches to aid our understanding of social life in an era of enhanced mobilities and diversities.

Our academics and partners from around the world have led and continue to lead on a series of high-profile research projects that are helping to shape our understanding and influence policy around migration and other interrelated areas of superdiversity. Our work champions social change at global, national and local levels.

Partners

Our groundbreaking research is supported by a number of key partners who provide specialist knowledge and expertise across a number of superdiversity themes. We work with academic institutions, NGO's, Government departments, Third Sector Organisations and other public bodies including;

Harvard University, University of Kansas, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, European University Institute, New School, University of Adelaide, Migranter, University of Bergen, FIERI.