Research

IRiS is at the forefront of research into a number of the most pressing issues facing society at a local, national and global level. Our work focusses on a number of key themes including citizenship, language, belonging, the economic impacts of diversity, access to welfare, social cohesion and integration utilising the lens of superdiversity to develop new theoretical and methodological approaches to aid our understanding of social life in an era of enhanced mobilities and diversities.

Research generated by IRiS has promoted understanding of the ongoing migration crisis and the physical, emotional and legal journey undertaken by refugees and asylum seekers. We focus not only on the academic, building new theory and methodology, but also on the social, meeting those affected face to face to understand their challenges and connect the theoretical to the personal. 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.

Current projects

Previous projects

  • Resilience and Resignation among Transnational Roma and non-Roma Youths (RETRY)
    Dr Stefano Piemontese 
  • Translation and Translanguaging: Investigating linguistic and cultural transformations in superdiverse wards in four UK Cities (2014-2018)
    Angela Creese and Adrian Blackledge
  • Unravelling the Mediterranean Crisis (MEDMIG) (2015-2016)
    Dr Nando Sigona
  • Meeting the healthcare needs of recently arrived migrants to the UK: Perspectives of primary care providers (2014-2015)
    Antje Lindenmeyer, Jenny Phillimore, Laura Griffith and Sabi Redwood (University of Bristol)
  • SMS text messaging use among low-literate multilingual adolescents and the implications for social exclusion (2014-2015)
    Caroline Tagg and Deirdre Martin (Goldsmiths University)
  • Civil society and new migrants in superdiverse contexts (2014-2017)
    Dr Susanne Wessendorf
  • Health and Wellbeing in an era of superdiversity (2013-2014)
    Antje Lindenmeyer, Jenny Phillimore and Sabi Redwood (University of Bristol)
  • KING - Knowledge for Integration Governance - developing policy recommendations for the post-Stockholm Migrant integration in the EU programme - European Commission Funded (2013-2015)
    Jenny Phillimore
  • Causes and experiences of poverty among refugees and asylum seekers in the UK: Review of Evidence (2013)
    Dr Nando Sigona
  • Social anchoring in super-diverse transnational social spaces (SAST) (2013-)
    Aleksandra Grzymala-Kazlowska and Jenny Phillimore
  • Precarious status, migration governance and new geographies of mobility (2013-2017)
    Dr Nando Sigona
  • In protracted limbo: Transitions to adulthood and life trajectories of former unaccompanied migrant children in Europe (2012-2014)
    Dr Nando Sigona
  • Legal status, rights and belonging: International symposia (2012-2014) 
    Dr Nando Sigona
  • Migration regimes, models of citizenship and experiences of statelessness amongst Roma in Italy and the UK (2012-2014) 
    Dr Nando Sigona
  • Financial advice and retirement in an age of superdiversity 
    Dr Lisa Goodson
  • The role of social capital in refugee integration 
    Dr Jenny Phillimore
  • Making the links - poverty, ethnicity and social networks 
    Angus McCabe
  • Migration, nutrition and ageing across the lifecourse in Bangladeshi families: A transnational perspective (Project MINA) (2008-2011)
    Janice L Thompson

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.