Institute for Research into Superdiversity

Nando Sigona on the business of immigration enforcement

The business of border control: Who really profits from mass deportation plans? - University of Birmingham Professor Nando Sigona comments on Donald Trump's mass deportation plans and examines who mass deportations actually benefit.

✨ A year-in-review from IRIS ✨
We asked our researchers to pick just one publication from 2024 and share why it stands out for them. Here's what they chose and why!

> Martins Junior, A. (2024). Differentiating space invaders: Negotiating ‘the migrant’ through moving difference. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 0(0). https://lnkd.in/eSDR9kNV
Angelo Martins Jr explains: "It was a great honour to critically engage with, as well as extend and apply, Nirmal Puwar’s concept ‘space invaders’ to the intersections between processes of social differentiation and international migration"

> Ayrton, R. (2024) “Power Dynamics between Researcher and Subject” in Doing good qualitative research, eds Cyr and Wallace Goodman, OUP: https://lnkd.in/ecDm_Ucq
“I contributed a chapter to Doing Good Qualitative Research (OUP), and I’m so impressed with the scope of the project, including chapters you don’t often see that may be relevant to colleagues and students we supervise.” says Rachel Ayrton

> Rumsby, S (2024) “Towards an Everyday Political Economy of Labour Migration”, IRIS Working Paper Series, 49/2024: https://lnkd.in/ef3JDFeJ
Seb explains: "this paper offers an 'everyday political economy' lens to engage with the question of who really benefits from international labour migration?

> Jenny Phillimore, From Mere Life to a Good Life: Shifting Refugee Integration Policy from Outcomes to Capabilities, Refugee Survey Quarterly, Volume 43, Issue 4, December 2024, Pages 387–409, https://lnkd.in/exErbgs7
"Thi is my attempt to introduce a new framing to the study and development of refugee integration policy that responds to the criticism of the term", says Jenny Phillimore

> Benson, M., & Sigona, N. (2024). Reimagining, Repositioning, Rebordering: Intersections of the Biopolitical and Geopolitical in the UK’s Post-Brexit Migration Regime (and Why It Matters for Migration Research). International Migration Review, 58(4), 2040-2065. https://lnkd.in/eC4Px7kM
“I truly enjoyed thinking & writing this piece with Michaela Benson. We spent so much time bouncing ideas back & forth that, to me, this piece really captures the essence of our joint research on
after ” says Nando Sigona

> Papoutsi, A. (2024) "Everyday Bordering and Migrant Schooling Timescapes in Post‐Crisis Athens", Antipode: https://lnkd.in/eUWwAzzr
"One of my favourite parts of my PhD research working directly with migrant families to enrol their children at school in Athens in 2017, finally sees the light of day", says Anna Papoutsi.

> "Researching Q***r SEREDA was gruelling at times but it brought me together with a community of activists and survivors I am proud to call my chosen family. We’re using our evidence to advocate for greater safety for q***r people in the UK asylum system", says
Pip McKnight
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-social-sciences/social-policy/publications/q***r-sereda-web.pdf

>"Co-authored with Luxa Leoco, this chapter marks a milestone in my journey of learning how to conduct collaborative research (and reflect on it) in settings characterised by strong power imbalances", says Stefano Piemontese
https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/edcollchap-oa/book/9781529231878/ch008.xml

>The shape of belonging is the title of Özlem Ögtem's new book published by Bristol University Press focusing on the articulations of belonging of unaccompanied young migrants within the precarity of ‘migrancy’

https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-shape-of-belonging-for-unaccompanied-young-migrants

The full thread is here: https://bsky.app/profile/irisbirmingham.bsky.social/post/3ldhbitfiik2f

The Shape of Belonging for Unaccompanied Young Migrants The Shape of Belonging for Unaccompanied Young Migrants; Drawing on interviews and the Deleuzo-Guattarian concepts of assemblage, this book provides an empirical and theoretical examination of the belonging of unaccompanied young migrants seeking protection in the UK, shedding light on the complex a...

In next IRIS seminar we talk about student antiracist activism with prof Hannah Jones (Warwick University). The seminar is on 2 Dec, 3-4.30pm, Room 121, Muirhead Tower, University of Birmingham.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/learning-from-student-antiracist-activism-tickets-1088511500199

Here the programme of our seminar series for this term. we start on 29 October, 3-4.30pm with professor John Solomos (Warwick University)

How should Europe deal with its migration crisis? The British and French governments are under renewed pressure after more people die trying to cross the English Channel.

How should Europe deal with its migration crisis?
The British and French governments are under renewed pressure after more people die trying to cross the English Channel.
The English Channel has once again become the site of tragedy, with more people dying while trying to reach the shores of the United Kingdom.

The latest incident highlights an escalating migrant crisis that is posing a challenge to both French and British authorities.

with Nando Sigona

How should Europe deal with its migration crisis? The British and French governments are under renewed pressure after more people die trying to cross the English Channel.

Congratulations to IRIS director Nando Sigona for being elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.
Nando Sigona said: "This recognition highlights the importance of migration and refugee studies in addressing key social issues, such as the rise of far-right populism and anti-migration sentiments, which threaten social cohesion and human rights, particularly for migrants and refugees. I look forward to supporting the Academy's work in advancing understanding of these issues and promoting a more just and informed society"

The Academy of Social Sciences welcomes 45 outstanding social scientists to its Fellowship – Academy of Social Sciences News 09 September 2024 The Academy of Social Sciences welcomes 45 outstanding social scientists to its Fellowship General News, Press Releases The Academy of Social Sciences is delighted to welcome 45 leading social scientists to our Fellowship this autumn. Spanning a range of research and practice....

New piece in The Political Quarterly by Nando Sigona and MIGZEN colleagues Michaela Benson and Elena Zambelli in which they look into the UK's humanitarian schemes for Ukrainians and Hong Kongers and the broader shift in the UK towards bespoke protection for selected nationalities in the context of the curtailment of the right to claim asylum.

Publication alert: The UK’s ‘Safe and Legal’ Humanitarian Routes: from Colonial Ties to Privatising Protection in The Political Quarterly In this new article published in The Political Quarterly, the MIGZEN team examines the UK’s ‘safe and legal (humanitarian) routes’ and their position in the post-Brexit migration regime. It c…

New IRIS Working Paper (49/2024) by Seb Rumsby entitled: Towards an Everyday Political Economy of .
https://zenodo.org/records/11102809

IRIS researchers featured in University of Birmingham's new video showcasing research priority areas

Fairer World | University of Birmingham Globally, millions are still fighting the threat to justice – from educational inequity and poor access to healthcare to gender inequality and political conf...

New I-CLAIM report written by Stefano Piemontese and Nando Sigona launched today. It is the first leg of the analysis of the UK's - the legal and policy infrastructures. Next, we will look at narratives, counternarratives, and public perceptions.
Link:

The Legal and Policy Infrastructure of Irregularity: United Kingdom - I-CLAIM This report examines the legal and policy infrastructures of irregular migration in the United Kingdom (UK) from the hostile environment policies to the post-Brexit new plan for immigration. It investigates the intersection between immigration, labour and welfare regimes and how they contribute to t...

Last few days (DEADLINE: 27 March) to submit proposals for IRIS conference (5-6 September 2024). Amazing line-up of keynote and invited speakers, including: Nira Yuval-Davis, Nandita Sharma, Nasar Meer, Roberto G Gonzales, Blanca Graces, Ilse Van Liempt, Myriam Cherti

To apply:

IRiS Conference 2024 The 2024 IRiS Conference, to be held at the Exchange in Birmingham

715 days into the war, it's time to give Ukrainian refugees in the UK a pathway to long term settlement and the opportunity to rebuild their future. New study by Migzen - Rebordering Britain and Britons after Brexit team (Michaela Benson, Nando Sigona and Elena Zambelli) shows how anxieties for the future are widespread among Ukrainians under the humanitarian visa schemes. They need reassurance soon not only that the will be extended - for many the expiry date is only a year away - but that there is a pathway to long term settlement for them.

Full report is available here:https://www.migzen.net/site/assets/files/5156/2024_new_humanitarian_visas_in_a_hostile_environment-1.pdf

They also wrote for The Conversation UK discussing the limits of the UK government's approach to humanitarian protection

https://lnkd.in/efmisgkQ

Bespoke humanitarian visa schemes like those for Ukraine and Hong Kong can’t replace the asylum system For a new report, researchers spoke with dozens of people on the Hong Kong and Ukraine visas about their experiences.