Boats, Borders and Asylum: the Global Politics of Irregular Migration in Maritime Space
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Hist, Anthrop, Philos & Politics
Abstract
This project interrogates changing patterns of irregular, or undocumented, migration in maritime space. It asks how the experiences and practices of irregular migrants are impacted by changing policies in border security and asylum, and also how these patterns of migration are themselves driving policy change. The project has a particular focus on how security efforts that attempt to respond to human trafficking and people smuggling (and that often conflate the two) are impacting the vulnerabilities of migrants, particularly asylum seekers, as they cross maritime borders. In pursuing these questions, this research prioritises the experiences and perspectives of migrants themselves by using innovative qualitative methods that enable migrants to tell their own stories, in their own ways. The objectives of this project are to place the migrant experience at the centre of our understanding of irregular maritime migration, to bring local case studies together to reveal global patterns of policy change, and to understand how the maritime space offers opportunities to rethink how we understand the international realm.
The project is built around two case studies: the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In both cases, two migration routes will be studied. For the Pacific, the journey that transits through Indonesia to Australia, and that which transits through Thailand to Canada are the focus; in the Mediterranean, the journeys examined are from Morocco to Spain, and from Libya to Italy. To understand these routes, in-depth field research will be undertaken in the four destination states (Australia, Canada, Spain, and Italy) in order to trace the experience of migrants backwards from their destination through their migration journeys. These experiences will be analyzed against patterns of policy change in each state, and of interstate cooperation and governance at regional and global levels to reveal how states have responded to the arrival of boats carrying undocumented migrants, and how these responses have then impacted the mobility of these individuals.
The guiding research method is ethnography, which includes participant observation, unstructured interviews, and visual ethnographies. The visual ethnographies represent a new method, and will allow migrants themselves to tell their own stories through video and photography. These pieces will then be made available on the Project Website, and will be screened at a final Public Engagement Event. Ethnographies will also be supported by semi-structured interviews and by policy analysis.
Throughout the project, this research will be supported by comprehensive skills development for the researcher, which includes methodology training, the development of academic and practitioner networks, and the development of leadership skills and opportunities in the field.
The research in this project will enhance our understanding of irregular migration and processes of political change that impact border security and asylum politics. This will be reflected in several journal articles, and a final book manuscript that will be submitted for review at the end of the project.
This research will also have important non-academic impacts. Through activities that include the Website and Public Event noted above, targeted Workshops in each research site, and the regular publication of Briefing Notes and Project Reports, this project will build and enhance cross-community networks. The key audiences for this research include the general public, policy makers, advocacy and support workers, and migrants themselves. Through this research, policy debates will be informed by deeper understandings of irregular migration. Further, the activities and publications of the project will build new opportunities for communication, and for consultation and collaboration in developing more effective and humane responses to the challenges posed by irregular migration across water.
The project is built around two case studies: the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In both cases, two migration routes will be studied. For the Pacific, the journey that transits through Indonesia to Australia, and that which transits through Thailand to Canada are the focus; in the Mediterranean, the journeys examined are from Morocco to Spain, and from Libya to Italy. To understand these routes, in-depth field research will be undertaken in the four destination states (Australia, Canada, Spain, and Italy) in order to trace the experience of migrants backwards from their destination through their migration journeys. These experiences will be analyzed against patterns of policy change in each state, and of interstate cooperation and governance at regional and global levels to reveal how states have responded to the arrival of boats carrying undocumented migrants, and how these responses have then impacted the mobility of these individuals.
The guiding research method is ethnography, which includes participant observation, unstructured interviews, and visual ethnographies. The visual ethnographies represent a new method, and will allow migrants themselves to tell their own stories through video and photography. These pieces will then be made available on the Project Website, and will be screened at a final Public Engagement Event. Ethnographies will also be supported by semi-structured interviews and by policy analysis.
Throughout the project, this research will be supported by comprehensive skills development for the researcher, which includes methodology training, the development of academic and practitioner networks, and the development of leadership skills and opportunities in the field.
The research in this project will enhance our understanding of irregular migration and processes of political change that impact border security and asylum politics. This will be reflected in several journal articles, and a final book manuscript that will be submitted for review at the end of the project.
This research will also have important non-academic impacts. Through activities that include the Website and Public Event noted above, targeted Workshops in each research site, and the regular publication of Briefing Notes and Project Reports, this project will build and enhance cross-community networks. The key audiences for this research include the general public, policy makers, advocacy and support workers, and migrants themselves. Through this research, policy debates will be informed by deeper understandings of irregular migration. Further, the activities and publications of the project will build new opportunities for communication, and for consultation and collaboration in developing more effective and humane responses to the challenges posed by irregular migration across water.
Planned Impact
There are four distinct audiences impacted by this study:
1) General Public:
The general public is regularly exposed to media stories about irregular migration, particularly in relation to security concerns. However, awareness and informed understanding of key issues is often limited. The public for this project comprises both the public in each destination state, where research will take place, and also the UK public.
2) Policy Makers:
The policy makers impacted by this study work at both national and international levels. Nationally, they are civil servants and politicians tasked with writing immigration and asylum legislation and related regulations. Internationally, they are members of the diplomatic core and global governance bodies concerned with facilitating inter-state cooperation and response in migration management.
3) Advocacy and Support Workers:
These individuals work 'on the ground' with irregular arrivals. They operate emergency responses, including rescues, run support and health services for both the newly arrived, also those awaiting asylum decisions. They also actively lobby government actors for increased resources and for policy change with regard to irregular migration, border security, and asylum policy.
4)Migrants:
Migrants comprise those individuals who have engaged in the irregular crossing of borders. They may have been granted status in the destination country, such as asylum or a humanitarian protection visa. Their irregularity is defined herein by their means of arrival. Although this study focuses on migrants who have crossed maritime space, irregular migrants who cross over land are also beneficiaries of this research as it contributes to wider understanding of irregular migration and of the impacts of border security and asylum policies.
These audiences will benefit from this research in three ways:
1) An enhanced public understanding of irregular migration.
This research will enhance understanding of the processes and practices of maritime irregular migration for the General Public, which will facilitate a deeper engagement with both Advocacy and Support Workers in their activities, and Policy Makers as they undertake policy development and change. This impact will also enhance the public awareness of who irregular migrants are, why they undertake their journeys, and what challenges and vulnerabilities they face. This will contribute to countering xenophobia within society for Migrants, enhancing possibilities for social inclusion and integration. This impact will be realised particularly through the Project Website and the Public Engagement Event.
2) An enhanced and informed national and international policy debate about migration issues
The debate about irregular migration, border security and asylum policy directly engages all four of these audiences. An enhanced understanding of these issues will facilitate greater engagement in policy debates for all audiences. The consequences and implications of current domestic policies, and of patterns of regional and global cooperation and governance, will be better understood. This will facilitate informed debates about policy development and change at both the national and international levels. This impact will be realised through the dissemination of Briefing Notes and Project Reports, and through the Project Website.
3) Enhanced opportunities for communication, consultation and collaboration
An effective and humane response to irregular migration demands open communication and collaboration amongst stakeholders, which requires greater degrees of understanding and trust across communities. This research will facilitate these dynamics, developing networks across all audiences, enhancing mutual understanding, and building new opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration. This impact will be realised via Site-Specific Workshops, Briefing Notes, Project Reports, and the Project Website.
1) General Public:
The general public is regularly exposed to media stories about irregular migration, particularly in relation to security concerns. However, awareness and informed understanding of key issues is often limited. The public for this project comprises both the public in each destination state, where research will take place, and also the UK public.
2) Policy Makers:
The policy makers impacted by this study work at both national and international levels. Nationally, they are civil servants and politicians tasked with writing immigration and asylum legislation and related regulations. Internationally, they are members of the diplomatic core and global governance bodies concerned with facilitating inter-state cooperation and response in migration management.
3) Advocacy and Support Workers:
These individuals work 'on the ground' with irregular arrivals. They operate emergency responses, including rescues, run support and health services for both the newly arrived, also those awaiting asylum decisions. They also actively lobby government actors for increased resources and for policy change with regard to irregular migration, border security, and asylum policy.
4)Migrants:
Migrants comprise those individuals who have engaged in the irregular crossing of borders. They may have been granted status in the destination country, such as asylum or a humanitarian protection visa. Their irregularity is defined herein by their means of arrival. Although this study focuses on migrants who have crossed maritime space, irregular migrants who cross over land are also beneficiaries of this research as it contributes to wider understanding of irregular migration and of the impacts of border security and asylum policies.
These audiences will benefit from this research in three ways:
1) An enhanced public understanding of irregular migration.
This research will enhance understanding of the processes and practices of maritime irregular migration for the General Public, which will facilitate a deeper engagement with both Advocacy and Support Workers in their activities, and Policy Makers as they undertake policy development and change. This impact will also enhance the public awareness of who irregular migrants are, why they undertake their journeys, and what challenges and vulnerabilities they face. This will contribute to countering xenophobia within society for Migrants, enhancing possibilities for social inclusion and integration. This impact will be realised particularly through the Project Website and the Public Engagement Event.
2) An enhanced and informed national and international policy debate about migration issues
The debate about irregular migration, border security and asylum policy directly engages all four of these audiences. An enhanced understanding of these issues will facilitate greater engagement in policy debates for all audiences. The consequences and implications of current domestic policies, and of patterns of regional and global cooperation and governance, will be better understood. This will facilitate informed debates about policy development and change at both the national and international levels. This impact will be realised through the dissemination of Briefing Notes and Project Reports, and through the Project Website.
3) Enhanced opportunities for communication, consultation and collaboration
An effective and humane response to irregular migration demands open communication and collaboration amongst stakeholders, which requires greater degrees of understanding and trust across communities. This research will facilitate these dynamics, developing networks across all audiences, enhancing mutual understanding, and building new opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration. This impact will be realised via Site-Specific Workshops, Briefing Notes, Project Reports, and the Project Website.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Heather Lynn Johnson (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Johnson H
(2016)
Narrating Entanglements: Rethinking the Local/Global Divide in Ethnographic Migration Research
in International Political Sociology
Johnson H L
(2016)
To Make Live: Representing and Protesting Refugee Agency
in Localities
Lisle D
(2018)
Lost in the aftermath
in Security Dialogue
| Title | ESRC Festival of Social Science: Impact of Migration Photo Exhibition |
| Description | A series of photographs taken by the PI (Heather Johnson) and a co-author/collaborator, Prof Debbie Lisle, was displayed as part of the ESRC Festival of Ideas at the Belfast Central Library. A Q&A and discussion with the photographers was held on the final day of the festival. Visitors to the exhibition reported changed awareness of the impact of migration in the Mediterranean. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Impact | There was significant foot traffic through the exhibition across the course of the festival, with audience feedback reporting increased awareness and new ways of thinking about the impact of migration on the reception islands in the Mediterranean. |
| Title | Global Conflict: the Human Impact - Photo Exhibition |
| Description | Photography from PI (Heather Johnson) and another collaborator, Prof Debbie Lisle, was displayed in an exhibition as part of a large public research event held August 23-24 2018. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Impact | All participants, including members of the public, key practitioners and sector leaders, and policy makers, viewed the exhibition over the course of the lunch hour and coffee breaks. Material was distributed about the ongoing Boats, Borders and Asylum project. Participants reported thinking about the impact of migration in a new way, and several inquiries about future findings for the project were received. |
| Description | The focus on preventing movement, combined with the unpredictability of the maritime space, has underscored the role of deterrence as a strategic objective in migration policy. The impact of this, however, on the experience of migrants is to reinforce immobility and emphasize temporariness. Increasingly, containment is understood as a key policy goal - if not the primary goal - for the cases that view themselves as on the 'front line' of migration pressure (specifically, Greece and Australia). The focus on a discourse about smuggling and trafficking, which is often mobilised within a humanitarian framework, obfuscates the lived experience of migrants and interferes with effective policy responses. An emerging finding is a greater need to consider the place of citizenship alongside migration policy, and to focus on stillness as well as mobility in critical research that focuses on asylum and irregularity. The onset of Covid-19 in the final months of the award significantly impacted government approaches to border security and migration. Greece and Australia in particular have reframed their refugee policies in the environment of the pandemic, but in ways that go well beyond the context of the pandemic and represent long term changes. These changes have confirmed the prioritisation of national border control policies over regional and international regulations and laws, and confirm the role of deterrence discourses. The long history of boat migration is strikingly consistent with present-day experiences, and underpins international law and norms on behaviour on the high seas and in territorial seas. What is emerging as different over time are the ways that states have responded to and incorporated the international patterns of engagement, which focus on gaining control over seas by prioritising the preservation of life. Today, it is clear that the practices of 'rescue' stand in opposition to norms of 'deterrence', although state discourses have sought to reconfigure what is meant by 'rescue' to include negative practices such as push-back and deterrence, as the language of humanitarianism has been coopted. With respect to practical policy findings, housing is a central concern and challenge in all cases, and solutions for the provision of housing underpin other key objectives for reception, processing and integration. Mental health provisions, and an understanding of how and when it should be delivered, is emerging as a key difference between cases. Finally, the securitisation of reception and of search rescue seems to be correlated with the involvement of military versus civilian authorities, which has interesting implications for governance. These are all trends the form useful bases for comparison across cases, which can facilitate policy learning in an international environment. |
| Exploitation Route | The theoretical framework developed here will inform contemporary debates about asylum and migration policy, and how it should be both developed and regulated. Insights will also be informative to future work on international cooperation. The two reports on best practices will be used by stakeholders to network with one another, and to inform policy development. The associated network of contacts will enable ongoing policy sharing. The visual material will be available to advocacy and nonprofit groups for use in their materials. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | While the impacts of Covid-19 on the realisation of the planned impacts for this project cannot be understated, they are (for the most part ) delayed rather than rendered impossible. Nonetheless, the research has seeded an international network of researchers and practitioners that has notably engaged the public both locally in Northern Ireland, and internationally. This has fostered regular and lively conversation between researchers and members of the third sector, as well as contributing to the professional development of new researchers. The public impact has been primarily through increased public awareness of the realities of boat migration, via the public lecture on translation and refugee experience (keynote: Behrouz Boochani) in June 2021, and the research talk from myself, 'Resettling Time: support horizons in asylum', in October 2021. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Membership: advisory and award committe for the James N. Rosenau Post-Doctoral Fellowship (International Studies Association) |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The James N. Rosenau Post-Doctoral Fellowship is open to scholars from the social sciences as well as the humanities. The fellowship is designed to support newly minted scholars in their research, and the Fellow is expected to spend the academic year furthering her/his research agenda (3/4 time), as well as collaborating with ISA HQ on projects (1/4 time). The Committee on the James N. Rosenau Post-Doctoral Fellowship is a standing committee of ISA. Committee members are appointed by the ISA President. The term is for a duration of 2 years. Appointments are from among the membership of the ISA, and reflect established reputation within the field of research. The work of this award, research contacts developed, and academic publications (in progress, as presented at the ISA annual convention) are the basis the appointment of the PI to this committee. |
| Description | Methods Training Seminar: Ethnographic Interviews |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Seminar in use and delivered in 2018 (and 2019 by a colleague during my research leave), and will continue to be used for the foreseeable deliveries of the methods training module. All students at Queen's University Belfast enrolled in the MA programs in History, Public History, Anthropology, Irish Studies, Politics, International Relations, Global Security and Borders, and Violence, Terrorism and Security have access to the seminar. All PhD students in History, Anthropology, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations also have access to the seminar. The seminar is delivered up to three times a year, and is based on research methods and practices developed in the field during this award. Students are given real-world examples of research practice and associated outcomes, and then develop their own methods for their specific discipline and project drawing on lessons and techniques learned. They are then given the opportunity to put the method into practice, and given feedback on their technique and research design. |
| Description | Methods Training Seminar: Participant Observation |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Seminar in use and delivered in 2018 (and 2019 by a colleague during my research leave), and will continue to be used for the foreseeable deliveries of the methods training module. All students at Queen's University Belfast enrolled in the MA programs in History, Public History, Anthropology, Irish Studies, Politics, International Relations, Global Security and Borders, and Violence, Terrorism and Security have access to the seminar. All PhD students in History, Anthropology, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations also have access to the seminar. The seminar is delivered up to three times a year, and is based on research methods and practices developed in the field during this award. Students are given real-world examples of research practice and associated outcomes, and then develop their own methods for their specific discipline and project drawing on lessons and techniques learned. They are then given the opportunity to put the method into practice, and given feedback on their technique and research design. |
| Description | Methods Training Seminar: Visual Research Methods |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Seminar in use and delivered in 2020, and will continue to be used for the foreseeable deliveries of the methods training module. All students at Queen's University Belfast enrolled in the MA programs in History, Public History, Anthropology, Irish Studies, Politics, International Relations, Global Security and Borders, and Violence, Terrorism and Security have access to the seminar. All PhD students in History, Anthropology, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations also have access to the seminar. The seminar is delivered up to twice a year, and is based on research methods and practices developed in the field during this award. Students are given real-world examples of research practice and associated outcomes, and then develop their own methods for their specific discipline and project drawing on lessons and techniques learned. They are then given the opportunity to put the method into practice, and given feedback on their technique and research design. |
| Description | The Syrian Refugee Research Programme, Northern Ireland Innovation Lab |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Title | Government (and related) data set |
| Description | This dataset represents 22 hours of interviews, and audio recordings are supplemented by reflective journals and notetaking. There are 15 interviews and observations in total, to date (with three weeks of data collection remaining). It focuses on government departments in four countries (Canada, Spain, Greece, Australia), including official government bodies such as the Navy, Coast Guard, and Maritime Authorities, as well as Asylum Services and/or decision and determination boards. Due to confidentiality, not all interviews/observations are recorded This dataset also includes interviews with EU-level government bodies, such as EASO and Frontex. The breakdown of interviews/observations is as follows: Vancouver, Canada: 3 Victoria, Canada: 4 Ottawa, Canada: 1 Madrid, Spain: 2 Almeria, Spain: 2 Canberra, Australia: 1 EU: 2 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Stand-out themes currently identified from the data include efficiency and productivity, and inter-agency cooperation versus independence, and the interviews reflect perspectives on best practices, implementation successes and challenges, the changing needs of the population, and consultation and collaboration with government and with other NGOs/INGOs. The data has informed a draft report on global best practices, policy gaps and policy successes, as well as academic outputs. The report will be circulated to all participants, including those in other data sets, for initial feedback and the final report will be publicly available following the completion of this exercise. |
| Title | Humanitarian NGO/INGO data set |
| Description | This dataset represents 39 hours of audio recordings are supplemented by reflective journals and notetaking. There are 35 interviews/observations in total, to date (with three weeks of data collection remaining). It focuses on Non-Governmental organisations in four countries (Canada, Spain, Greece, Australia). The interviews in this set are non-governmental organisations with a focus on humanitarian relief and emergency response to migration. Also included are international non-governmental organisations such as the UNHCR, Red Cross, and IOM. The breakdown of interviews is as follows: Vancouver, Canada: 7 Victoria, Canada: 4 Ottawa, Canada: 1 Fuerteventura: 2 Tenerife, Spain: 1 Madrid, Spain: 2 Almeria, Spain: 2 Kos, Greece: 8 Athens, Greece: 3 Melbourne, Australia: 3 Canberra, Australia: 2 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Stand-out themes currently identified from the data include organisation and administration of resources, cooperation, and mental health, and the interviews reflect perspectives on best practices, implementation successes and challenges, the changing needs of the population, and consultation and collaboration with government and with other NGOs/INGOs. The data has informed a draft report on global best practices and advocacy as well as academic outputs. The report will be circulated to all participants, including those in other data sets, for initial feedback and the final report will be publicly available following the completion of this exercise. |
| Title | Integration NGO/INGO data set |
| Description | This dataset represents 22 hours of audio recordings, supplemented by reflective journals and notetaking. There are 23 interviews/observations in total, to date (with three weeks of data collection remaining). It focuses on Non-Governmental organisations in four countries (Canada, Spain, Greece, Australia). The interviews in this dataset are with organisations that focus on integration activities and programs for migrants. Also included are interviews with international non-governmental organisations with a similar focus, such as the IOM. The breakdown of interviews is as follows: Vancouver, Canada: 4 Victoria, Canada: 2 Tenerife, Spain: 1 Kos, Greece: 2 Athens, Greece: 3 Madrid, Spain: 1 Melbourne, Australia: 5 Canberra, Australia: 5 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Stand-out themes currently identified from the data include employment and housing, and the interviews reflect perspectives on best practices, implementation successes and challenges, the changing needs of the population, and consultation and collaboration with government and with other NGOs/INGOs. The data has informed a draft report on global best practices and advocacy as well as academic outputs. The report will be circulated to all participants, including those in other data sets, for initial feedback and the final report will be publicly available following the completion of this exercise. |
| Title | Migrant and Refugee dataset |
| Description | This dataset represents 15 hours of audio recordings, supplemented by reflective journals and notetaking. There are 15 interviews in total to date (with three weeks of data collection remaining). It focuses on migrants and refugees in four countries (Canada, Spain, Greece, Australia). Due to confidentiality concerns and vulnerability assessments (and as per the ethics protocol of the award), not all interviews are audio recorded. The breakdown of interviews is as follows: Vancouver, Canada: 1 Fuerteventura, Spain: 4 Kos, Greece: 6 Melbourne, Australia: 2 Canberra, Australia: 2 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Stand-out themes currently identified from the data include vulnerability, lack of trust in authorities, the need for legal advice, and waiting times. The data has informed a draft report on global best practices, policy gaps and policy successes and another report on best practices and advocacy, as well as academic outputs. The report will be circulated to all participants, including those in other data sets, for initial feedback and the final report will be publicly available following the completion of this exercise. |
| Title | Visual dataset: reception, detention, camp spaces |
| Description | This dataset contains images and video clips gathered in Canada, Spain, Greece and Australia of refugee camps, migrant reception and processing centres, detention centres, and rescue boats and equipment. The visuals focus on the material living conditions and infrastructure of migrant reception and rescue. There are 662 images in total, with three weeks of data collection remaining. The images were taken in the following locations: Kos, Greece Almeria, Spain Fuerteventura, Spain Melbourne, Australia Vancouver, Canada Victoria, Canada |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Images from Kos have been used to inform an academic publication, co-authored with Prof Debbie Lisle. The dataset as a whole will supplement two stakeholder reports, four country reports, and the final project website (all of which are currently in draft development). The dataset will also provide the foundation for a monograph-length visual essay, the proposal for which is in development for submission at the end of March 2020. |
| Description | THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PERMANENT REFUGEES' AND IMMIGRANTS' SETTLEMENT IN GREECE: REVEALING THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCI?- ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE FOR THE GREEK SOCIETY'S ACCEPTANCE |
| Organisation | University of the Aegean |
| Country | Greece |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have been brought on as an external advisor for this research partnership, as a result of expertise and reputation developed through this ESRC award. I will participate in workshops and conferences for thirty months. I will also review all academic outputs, contribute as co-author on articles and reports, and advise on the method and conduct of the research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This collaboration will contribute to the robustness and successful publication of outputs from this award through collaboration and peer review, and provide fora for the dissemination of the research. It will also form part of the foundation for the continuation of the networks developed over the course of the award and, hopefully, for future funding opportunities. |
| Impact | Collaboration is multi-disciplinary between myself (International Relations/Politics) and the investigators at the University of the Aegean (Sociology/Anthropology). |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Voices in Migration and Mobilities Network |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dr Cora Lacatus, an early career researcher at QMUL and former mentee of mine, co-founded the VIMM network in Spring 2021. We have achieved significant growth of the network, hosting 9 events to date including one keynote public lecture from Behrouz Boochani and Omid Tofighian in June 2021. The network is housed at QUB, but includes members from Europe (UK, the Netherlands, France, Denmark), North America (Canada, Mexico, the US), Australia, and South America (Brazil). It includes members of the community sector as well as academics at all levels, from UG students to professors. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Cora Lacatus founded the network with me while completing a postdoctoral fellowship at QUB. She has since joined QMUL, and the network is now achieved across both institutions. |
| Impact | Public Event: Author talk and public discussion with Behrouz Boochani, author of No Friend but the Mountains, and his translator Omid Tofighian. June 2021, online. Approximately 60 attendees including members of the refugee sector in Northern Ireland and the wider UK. Public Research Series: Monthly talks from international researchers, focusing on their work in process. Online. Audience range from 20-40, with international attention. Training of Researchers: Two PGR students assist in the administration of the network. Four of the presenters thus far have been early-career (PGR and post-doc) level, presenting current work for feedback and engagement from the pubic and academic community. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Brexit for Migrants: What does it mean? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at an information and planning workshop hosted by the Northern Irish Council for Ethnic Minorities on the impact of Brexit on the migrant community |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Public Lecture - Stillness and Presence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Public Lecture delivered at Newcastle University. Twenty students, faculty members, and members of the public attended. Lecture led to a question and answer session, and increased awareness of the challenges of maritime migration and the links between citizenship and migration policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Public Lecture - Stillness: Thinking through critical migration studies and challenging citizenship |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public Talk delivered at York University, with accompanying podcast and interview. At least 80 members of the public, students, and faculty members attended. The talk was followed by a Q&A session, and members of the audience reported changes in opinions and awareness of migration and links to citizenship and to policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.york.ac.uk/sps/seminars/2016-17/dr-heather-johnson |
| Description | Refugee Representation and Images |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dialogue conversation focusing on my research and publications as they relate to contemporary concerns about humanitarian policy and practice. Primary focus a postgraduate seminar at the University of Amsterdam, but the event was recorded and made available more widely. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Resettling Time: support horizons in asylum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A 90 minute research talk and discussion, open to the wider public and advertised internationally, as part of the VIMM network series. A paper-in-progress focusing on mental health support and provision for refugees was presented and discussed. Audience included members of the academic community, the third sector, and general public from the UK, Europe, and North America. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Taking Pictures: Imagining the Refugee Crisis |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A public lecture delivered October 4 2016 at George Washington University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | To Make Live: Refugee subjectivities in representation, and protest |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Invited Speaker at public symposium: 8th International Symposium for Locality and Humanities: Local Narratives and the Politics of Representation, Korean Studies Institute, Pusan National University, South Korea |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Who Cares? Great Global Challenges (workshop for Secondary Schools, international) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An event organised by QUB for High School Students in North America, on the theme of 'Who Cares? Great Global Challenges'. A two-day, online and interactive event in which student teams engage with key international issues and work to 'solve' a problem. Drawing on my research, I led one of these teams to investigate issues with respect to technology and refugees. The event served primarily as a learning opportunity, and also provided professional development for a team of PGR and undergraduate students that I brought on board to lead the group. It was also a recruitment opportunity for QUB. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |