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IRiS Conference: Migration and superdiversity beyond “deficits and dividends”

Call for Papers

Over the past three decades, the size, speed and spread of human mobility has grown in significance. New routes, channels, connections and migration hubs have emerged, while existing ones have experienced unprecedented changes and pressures. 

The sedimentation of these changes over time are transforming local communities and the dynamics and politics of diversity at destination as well as at origin, as shown by the growth of diaspora institutions over the same period. Worldwide, these migration-driven trends are transforming societies in complex ways spanning social, demographic, cultural, economic and political structures.

Not surprisingly, these processes have been met with mixed responses. Anti-immigration sentiments, racism, religious intolerance and xenophobia are common currency in mainstream political discourse in several countries, which is increasingly polarised along a nationalist vs globalist binary. Rapid and sustained changes in population’s diversity pose challenges and opportunities for societies – including public services, labour markets, political movements and intergeneration relations.

The Institute for Research into Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham is organising the 6th International interdisciplinary conference on the theme Beyond ‘deficits and dividends’: Interdisciplinary and critical perspectives on migration-driven superdiversity.

Information and guidelines for submitting papers and panel proposals are available on the conference website. Deadline is 15 April 2020!