Refugee Studies Centre

The Online School in Forced Migration begins by exploring one of the field's most fundamental questions: how do we conceptualise forced migration?

Through this core module, participants explore the concepts and perspectives that underpin the study of forced migration, examining displacement through the lenses of law, politics and anthropology. Taught by leading experts from the University of Oxford, it lays the foundation for the rest of the programme.

Applications are now open for the Refugee Studies Centre's Online School in Forced Migration.

7–11 December 2026
21–25 June 2027

Learn more and apply: https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/study/international-summer-school

Image location: Pedwest MX, Oeste El Chaparral, José María Larroque, Empleados Federales, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

''Denmark’s increasingly harsh migration regime has reshaped not only the lives of refugees but the wider fabric of Danish society''

Professor Michelle Pace's book talk, with discussant Dr Frown Rausis, is now available as a podcast on our SoundCloud channel: https://soundcloud.com/refugeestudiescentre/unwelcome-to-denmark

About this talk:
Centering on the so-called “paradigm shift”, Un-welcome to Denmark: The Paradigm Shift and Refugee Integration examines how a policy trajectory geared towards deterrence over inclusion influences refugees’ opportunities, wellbeing, and sense of belonging.

The consequences extend far beyond those seeking protection. Welfare professionals—tasked with delivering support, fostering integration, and upholding ethical standards—find themselves working in a system where the political climate often undermines their professional judgement, constrains their practice, and places considerable emotional strain upon their daily work. At the same time, private-sector employers grappling with labour shortages face a paradox: while Denmark requires skilled and committed workers, restrictive rules and uncertain residency pathways hinder refugees’ ability to contribute fully to the labour market.

Drawing on policy and legal analysis, lived experiences, and institutional perspectives, the book reveals how this harsh migration regime reverberates across public services, workplaces, and communities. In this talk Michelle critically interrogates the tensions between a nation’s humanitarian commitments and its political desire to project un-welcomeness, and reflect on what such a system means for democracy, cohesion, and the future of integration in Denmark.

“I found this course to be incredibly valuable, well-structured, and thoughtfully delivered. The content was rich and relevant, combining theoretical frameworks with real-world case studies that deepened my understanding of forced migration.”

— 2026 Online School in Forced Migration Alum

Deepen your understanding of forced migration through a programme that combines academic excellence with practical insight.

Read more and apply: https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/study/international-summer-school

At the end of Trinity term our Visiting Fellows each shared a short presentation of their work. Here is Cécile Damas Artigaud’s presentation on ‘Translocal livelihoods under pressure - Climate, mobility and the erosion of adaptive infrastructures in West Africa (Burkina Faso/Côte d’Ivoire/Ghana)’

Translocal livelihoods under pressure - Climate, mobility and the erosion of adaptive infrastructures in West Africa (Burkina Fa Visiting Fellows Panel Trinity Term 2026 Cécile Damas Artigaud Translocal livelihoods under pressure - Climate, mobility and the erosion of adaptive infrastructures in West Africa (Burkina Faso/Côte d’Ivoire/Ghana) Abstract: This paper provides a historical analysis of mobility patterns from Bur...

“The Summer School offers a unique opportunity to learn from world-leading scholars and practitioners in the field of forced migration in an environment that is both intellectually rigorous and genuinely welcoming.”

— 2026 Online School in Forced Migration Alum

Learn from leading scholars and practitioners while becoming part of a global community committed to understanding forced migration.

Read more and apply: https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/study/international-summer-school

In this talk, Professor Peter Gatrell discusses the approach that he and fellow authors adopted in their book, Refugee Voices in Modern Global History: Reckoning with Refugeedom. After briefly highlighting some of their key findings, including a justification for the concept of 'refugeedom', Profesor Gatrell outlines his ongoing research which addresses UNHCR’s engagement with refugees in and beyond Europe in the years 1951 to 1975. This research draws on the extensive confidential individual case files held by UNHCR Records and Archives, Geneva.

Like his contribution to the book, this current project analyses the content and tone of letters that refugees wrote to UNHCR from different parts of the world and the responses they elicited. Professor Gatrell discusses the expectation that the refugees vouchsafe intimate details of their lives as a condition of being 'recognised' by UNHCR and thus eligible for its assistance and protection. But recognition was not a one-way process: refugees reflected on their relationship with its officials and sought to hold them to account.

Gatrell's approach is contextualised; deliberately reflexive; and interdisciplinary, being informed by classic and ongoing scholarship in the humanities and social sciences.

(also available as a podcast on the Refugee Studies Centre SoundCloud channel)

Refugee Voices in Modern Global History: Reckoning with Refugeedom – book talk Speaker: Emeritus Professor Peter Gatrell (University of Manchester) RSC Public Seminar Series, Trinity Term, 10 June 2026 Series convened by Associate Professor Catherine Briddick and Dr Uttara Shahani About this talk Peter Gatrell discusses the approach that he and fellow authors adopted in their....

“The course succeeds in helping participants think beyond the scope of their daily work through extraordinary perspectives, inspiring lecturers, and highly qualified professors.”

– June 2026 Online School in Forced Migration Alum

Designed for researchers, practitioners and those working in the field of Forced Migration, our Online School offers the opportunity to engage critically with contemporary issues alongside leading experts from the University of Oxford and other internationally recognised institutions.

Read more and apply for the December 2026 or June 2027 schools: https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/study/international-summer-school

Details of five of our Michaelmas term public events, including the Annual Harrell-Bond Lecture, are now available. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the Refugee Convention we will host leading scholars for a series of events focused on the Refugee Convention and its contribution to refugee protection from a range of disciplinary and regional perspectives.

Will you join us?
https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/events

“The inclusion of perspectives beyond the legal and practical - such as historical, anthropological, and psychosocial approaches - offers valuable insights that enrich professional practice and stimulate relevant research questions.”

— 2026 Online School in Forced Migration Alum

Explore forced migration through an interdisciplinary lens and gain new perspectives to inform your research and professional practice.

Read more and apply for our Online School in December 2026 or June 2027: https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/study/international-summer-school

Congratulations to all members of our 2025–2026 MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies cohort who have successfully completed their course.

We are delighted to celebrate this year’s prize recipients:

Best Thesis Prize 2026

• Austin Goldsmith-Lachut — Subnational Authoritarianism following CASA: A Comparative Test of Deportation Spectacle in the US District Courts under the Trump Administration

Gil Loescher Prize for Overall Best Performance in the Examinations 2026

Jointly awarded to:
• Austin Goldsmith-Lachut
• Eva Hennell
• Noura McNelis Mahmoud

Congratulations to Austin, Eva and Noura on their outstanding achievements.