Superdiversity

Challenging established views and policy responses to migration and its impact on societies in a rapidly changing world.

The social landscape of Britain and other countries of immigration have been transformed in the past decade.

The arrival of new migrants from many different countries, combined with longer established communities from the Commonwealth, has resulted in an unprecedented variety of cultures, identities, faiths, and languages.

The speed, scale and spread at which these current new patterns of diversity have emerged is unprecedented and presents new challenges and opportunities to policymakers and practitioners, as well as to businesses, communities and migrants.

The Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS) is the first institute in the UK and one of the first globally, to focus on superdiversity.  

Our research

IRiS is researching and developing a knowledge base of the changes, challenges and opportunities that result from superdiversity, to help governments and societies across the world to prepare for and adapt to those changes. Research includes: 

In addition, there are a number of research networks associated with IRiS such as the New and Old Diversity Exchange (NODE) which brings together academics from Japan and the UK. This netork has been set up to develop new knowledge and insight about diversification and integration resulting from old and new migrations. The Time for Rights/Rights for Time Network Plus, is a new research network that supports and delivers a new understanding of how time conditions war, displacement, and violence, and shifts the possibilities and frame of action for humanitarian protection and human rights.

"Migration is a global phenomenon that transforms societies, connects distant places, and generates new opportunities and challenges. IRiS aims to contribute to a better understanding of migration and superdiversity leading to the creation of more inclusive and equal societies.

The SEREDA project is looking to shed light on the issues that migrants face when they are within the UK’s asylum system, with many trapped in the system for years. Those who have been or are victims of sexual and gender-based violence can often face new trauma or have old trauma resurface. We are looking at what policy changes can be made to better protect vulnerable asylum seekers."

Professor Jenny Phillimore

Professor Jenny Phillimore

Professor of Migration and Superdiversity

Discover more...

  • SEREDA

    The SEREDA Project is using a social constructivist framework to understand the incidence and nature of SGBV experienced by women, men and child refugees who have fled conflict in the Levant Region.

  • The Institute for Research into Superdiversity IRIS

    The Institute for Research into Superdiversity is a world leading centre of academic study in the field of superdiversity and migration.

  • EU families and 'Eurochildren' in Brexiting Britain

    Through the study of Eurochildren and their families this project aims to portrait the emergence of a new politics of belonging which reconfigures who belongs to a post-EU Britain and establish a baseline for future research on migration and settlement decision making

  • Syrian Resettlement

    IRiS has developed a Toolkit and range of resources to inform and assist local authorities and practitioners resettle Syrian refugees

  • The MOSAIC Group for Research on Multilingualism

    MOSAIC was established provides a forum for the development of new, interdisciplinary lines of enquiry related to bilingualism/ multilingualism, multilingual literacy, bilingual education, second language learning and contemporary discourses about linguistic and cultural diversity.

  • Migration and Displacement

    The University of Birmingham is at the forefront of research into migration and displacement

Superdiversity in the news

Key Staff

  • Professor Jenny Phillimore

    Professor Jenny Phillimore is Director of the Institute for Research into Superdiversity and Professor of Migration and Superdiversity.

  • Professor Nando Sigona

    Professor Nando Sigona is a social scientist with over fifteen years research and teaching experience in migration, refugee, citizenship and ethnic studies.