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Global Migration

Fostering a more just and compassionate approach to migration.
  • A woman resting on the back of sofa in a dimly lit room, staring out of a window

    Challenging policy and rhetoric on migration

    With an increasing number of people displaced by war, environmental disasters, and aspirations for a better life, border regimes are becoming tighter, more selective, and at times brutally violent.

    We strive to foster empathy and understanding towards migrants and their motivations to leave their countries of origin or residence. Our Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity (IRiS) promotes understanding of the ongoing migration crisis and the physical, emotional and legal journey undertaken by refugees and asylum seekers. IRiS is the world’s first research centre to focus on superdiversity and is at the forefront of international migration research. We’re challenging migration policies, working with governments, charities and NGOs to protect vulnerable groups, enhance understanding of historical conflicts, and better the lives of migrants.

  • Woman in a blue dress and a pink head scarf stands outside a house, turned away from the camera

    Our research aims to support those affected by war and conflicts. Through the ‘Children Born of War’ network, we’re promoting the needs and rights of children born during conflicts. We’re supporting those displaced by war with projects including ‘Futures of Ukraine: youth, mobility and post-war reconstruction’. The project aims to support the recovery of Ukraine and the wellbeing of Ukrainian refugees.

    With our expansive expertise, we also explore questions of identity. Our Post-Socialist Britain project is leading to a better understanding of how immigrant groups negotiate different aspects of their identities and the factors that contribute to the development of political behaviour.

At the University of Birmingham, we are leading critical research on migration and mobility through initiatives like the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity (IRiS). Our work informs policy, challenges stereotypes, and advocates for the rights and well-being of migrants and refugees worldwide.

Dr Nando Sigona
Chair of International Migration and Forced Displacement

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