Call for Papers
Return and Onward Migration Workshop
School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh
9th-11th April 2008
Aims and Objectives
Migration studies has acquired a central position across the social
sciences, with research focusing on forced displacement and voluntary
migration, internal displacement, child migration, global labour flows
and skilled migration. This workshop will interrogate return migration
(back to source societies) and onward migration (to a third
destination).
Return migration is often seen as an ideal in policy discussion
regarding refugees, asylum seekers and migrants alike - the return of
refugees after the end of conflict, the reversal of the "brain-drain"
through the return of skilled professionals to developing countries,
or the expulsion of unsuccessful asylum seekers and irregular
migrants. Return migration that meets the basic criteria of not
resulting in re-emigration may be considered "sustainable" and
therefore desirable from the perspective of host and home governments
alike. From the perspective of returnees, however, return migration
may itself imply "failure". Moreover, resettlement and reintegration
into the home society may be rife with difficulties especially when
such societies have been transformed in the interim through war,
political upheaval or economic crisis.
More than ten years on after the UNHCR's decade of repatriation we
have not witnessed a mass return of refugees. In fact, according to
the UNHCR, there remain more than 38 protracted refugee situations
affecting over 6.2 million people. Many will continue live permanently
in their country of asylum, but others may resettle or be resettled in
a third country. Such onward migration to a third destination (about
which there is no comprehensive body of literature) similarly throws
up multiple opportunities and obstacles in terms of legal
documentation, access to resources, socio-economic wellbeing,
socio-political integration, and the maintenance and dissolution of
family life.
Call for Papers
We welcome abstracts of up to 250 words for papers from all relevant
social science disciplines and with any geographical focus on the
following suggested themes: In/voluntary repatriation; Return of
repatriates; Resettlement policies; Un/official dispersal; Beyond "the
myth of return"; Migrant identities. Please send abstracts (including
your name, email address, and institutional affiliation) by Friday 1st
February 2008 to:
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Leverhulme Early Career Fellows
School of Social and Political Studies
University of Edinburgh
British Academy funding
British Academy funding will provide for workshop materials and meals
during the workshop. Unfortunately, however, we will not be able to
provide financial assistance with travel or accommodation costs.
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