The Migration Oxford Podcast

Oxford University
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The Migration Oxford Podcast Podcast

For several decades, researchers based at the University of Oxford have been addressing one of the most compelling human stories; why and how people move. Combining the expertise of the Centre on Migration Policy and Society, the Refugee Studies Centre, Border Criminologies in the Department of Law, the Transport Studies Unit in the School of Geography and the Environment, and scholars working on migration and mobility from across divisions and departments, the University has one the largest concentrations of migration researchers in the world. We all come together at Migration Oxford.

  1. 23 AUG

    Asymmetrical Sympathies: the Global North’s Response to Protection Seekers

    Why are some countries across the Global North more open and accepting towards refugees than others? How can asymmetrical sympathies and differential treatments be better understood? We search for answers with an expert panel. The welcoming response of European countries towards Ukrainian refugees from 2022 onwards has been marked by its strength and rapidity. This recent example recalls other moments of openness from past decades: the Western response to Kosovar refugees in 1999, or the response of some countries – including Germany and Canada – to Syrian refugees in 2015. Such responses are striking as they occurred simultaneously with restrictive policies enforced against other groups of protection seekers. How can we understand moments of openness towards refugees in countries of the Global North? Why do these responses favor some groups and not others? How can we understand asymmetrical sympathies and differential treatment in the response to various groups of protection seekers? In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast we explore these questions and more, in an effort to challenge the global responses to refugee crises and ask how we can make those responses more inclusive. We welcome Isabelle Lemay, PhD candidate in International Development at the University of Oxford; and Professor Bridget Anderson, Director of Migration Mobilities Bristol, and Professor at the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies, University of Bristol (and former colleague at the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) here at the University of Oxford) to this conversation. We discuss Isabelle’s recent work on the response of Germany to the 2015-2016 refugee crisis, and highlight key representations and perceptions of refugees that have been (re)produced by the media and the public. For further readings on the concept of deservingness, please see Holmes and Castaneda (2016), at https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.12259; for further reading on relatedness and implicatedness, please see Gibney (1999), at https://www.fmreview.org/kosovo/gibney. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    29 min

  2. 16 JUL

    Global Migration Data: Making Sense of the Numbers

    Why does official data tell us so little about migration? Why do some migration statistics seem to clash? How can we shape this “age of migration data” for better? We welcome co-authors of Improving Migration Data for People and the Planet to this latest episode. The global number of international migrants is estimated at 281 million, but surprisingly little is known about the people that make up this figure. Who they are, why and how they decided to migrate, what needs they have and what the impact of their migration is on communities of origin and destination remains to be determined. Quality data is needed to analyse and manage migration flows effectively, but availability of statistics around the world is very limited. Today issues of migration data collection and analysis are more complex than ever before. While calls for better migration data among the international community have gained momentum in recent years, recommended standards are still not consistently applied. How migration is measured varies hugely between countries and governments. Estimates on a global scale are often contested or retracted (the World Bank recently put forward a 184 million estimate to contest the UN’s estimate of 281 million international migrants). Despite more data being collected than ever before, there are many challenges that this brings, including significant risks if there are insufficient safeguards to protect migrants. And it’s not always clear that having more information brings benefits… In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast we ask the big questions on global migration data: why do official statistics tell us so little about migration? Why do some migration statistics seem to clash? How can migration data be sustainably and inclusively improved? How can we shape this “age of migration data” for better? Our discussion includes findings from the recent publication Improving Migration Data for People and the Planet (Routledge, London), which contributes to the global discussion about how best to improve the collection, analysis and use of data on international migration whilst protecting the rights and respecting those involved. We welcome Elisa Mosler Vidal, PhD candidate at the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) here at the University of Oxford; and Frank Laczko, former Head of GMDAC and UN migration specialist who now works independently, to this conversation. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    32 min

  3. 30 APR

    Intersecting Crises: Housing and Forced Migration in Oxford

    How does housing relate to migration and asylum issues? Using the City of Oxford as a case study, we consider the affordability and accessibility of housing to newcomers and the impact this has on refugee and asylum seekers. In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast, we explore the ongoing housing affordability and accessibility crisis in the UK, using the City of Oxford as a case study. Oxford is the least affordable UK city for housing, with average house prices over 15 times the average annual salary (as of 2022). As with much of the UK, the increasing cost of housing combined with a significant shortfall in council housing, puts home ownership out of the reach for many people in Oxford and pushes them into a very competitive rental market. But what does this mean for newcomers to the City? How does this relate to migration and asylum issues? Housing for asylum seekers in the UK is not controlled by or the responsibility of local councils. Instead it is controlled nationally by the Home Office and through a number of private providers who are tasked with finding accommodation, often in competition with the City Council or private landlords. With Oxford facing a crisis of affordable housing, how does this impact refugee and asylum seekers? How does the system for asylum and housing work in the UK? What has changed in recent times? We explore new government initiatives, such as the notorious Bibby Stockholm barge, and consider where policy might go next. We welcome Tiger Hills, PhD candidate at the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, and a co-founder of the Spatial Action Lab; Dr Hari Reed, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at Asylum Welcome; and J, a volunteer at Asylum Welcome to this conversation. Please note: We acknowledge that this is a fast-moving policy area. This episode was pre-recorded in August 2023 and some specific references to policy changes, such as the seven-day notice-to-quit period issued to asylum seekers in August 2023 by the Home Office that we discuss, has since been reversed back to the 28-day period (as of January 2024). Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    30 min

  4. 20 MAR

    Diaspora Communities: Powerful Partners Driving Change

    What makes diaspora communities unique? We learn about the roles of diasporas, contributions to development and humanitarian initiatives across the globe and unpack how people living in diaspora drive change in their communities. In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast, we unpack how diaspora communities are partners in development and humanitarian initiatives. In 2022 diaspora engagement was at the core of the discussions at global, regional and local levels. Through the Global Diaspora Summit and multiple-high level events, the role of diasporas across the humanitarian and development peace nexus is being further recognised and harnessed across the globe. But what is unique about diasporas? How do they contribute to development and humanitarianism? How can governments and key partners create an ecosystem in which diasporas act as empowered actors? What is the best way to ensure a multi-stakeholder approach to diaspora engagement? We welcome Dr Alan Gamlen, Professor of Migration Governance at Australian National University; Dr Larisa Lara, IOM, Transnational Communities and Digital Communications Officer at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM); and Dr Martin Russell, Founder of Global Diaspora Insights to this conversation. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    25 min

  5. 20 FEB

    Artivism and Migration

    Intersections of art and activism are used as a tool to promote diversity, address human rights and make calls to action in contexts of migration. What is artivism and how can it support individuals to tell their own stories? In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast, we discuss the role of artivism as a tool to promote diversity in contexts of migration and displacement. In the current climate whereby political rights are being threatened, does artivism make a difference in supporting the cause of migrants and refugees rights? We look at what type of creative and art-based activities help migrants and refugees, and how community-based initiatives can support individuals to tell their own stories. We welcome Salma Zulfiqar, artist and founder of ARTconnects; Natalia, expert-by-experience and ARTconnects assistant; and Ruth Nyabuto, Academic Manager for the Refugee-Led Research Hub housed between the University of Oxford’s Refugee Studies Centre and the British Institute in Nairobi. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    28 min

  6. 18 JAN

    Municipal IDs and Local Citizenship

    For irregular migrants, the inability to provide proof of identity affects nearly every aspect of life. We explore cities that have introduced municipal ID cards to enhance social integration and enable access to key services. For irregular migrants, the inability to provide proof of identity affects nearly every aspect of their lives. Municipal ID cards have been introduced by some cities to enhance these migrants’ social integration, bridge the ‘official identification gap’ and enable access to otherwise inaccessible services. In this episode, we will hear about the experiences of cities that have developed municipal IDs, the challenges they face in securing buy-in and the many benefits they bring to the lives of migrants. We welcome Albert Gamarra, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the IDNYC project based at the New York Department of Social Services; and Myriam Cherti, Senior Researcher at the Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity (GEM) and Principal Investigator for the C-MISE project, both hosted at COMPAS, University of Oxford. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    28 min

  7. 07/11/2023

    Emptiness, War and Migration

    In the UK, migration debates tend to be about the idea of fullness – concepts of arrivals, overcrowding, competition for resources – but what about emptiness? We learn why it is such an important part of understanding migration. In the UK, migration debates tend to be about the idea of fullness but the concept of emptiness is underexplored. In the small towns of Armenia, people say “there is nothing here” stegh vochinch chka/ban chka [ստեղ ոչինչ չկա/ բան չկա] but this phrase does not describe actual nothingness. Vochinch chka/ban chka – and other descriptors related to “emptiness” found in the post-Soviet realm – refers to a loss of elements that constitute postsocialist towns and villages: people, schools, services, social networks, jobs, and the future (Dzenovska 2020). The largest conflict in postsocialist space, the Russo-Ukrainian war, sped up and generalized this tendency as whole cities are erased, millions of people are forced to leave their homes, and existential and temporal imaginaries of whole populations are mired in radical uncertainty. Why is emptiness such an important part of understanding migration as a discipline and human experience? To explore this topic, we welcome Volodymyr Artiukh, COMPAS Postdoctoral Researcher, and Maria Gunko, COMPAS DPhil student in Migration Studies to share their research within field sites in Romania and in Armenia, as part of the EMPTINESS project (https://emptiness.eu/). The project studies the emptying cities, towns, and villages in Eastern Europe and Russia through the lens of “emptiness” as a concrete historical formation that has emerged in conditions when socialist modernity is gone and promises of capitalist modernity have failed. Is emptiness and nothingness produced by slow violence being filled (metaphorically speaking) by the fast violence of war? Does the arrival of entirely different populations amount to a place being revived, or reshaped? How do relationships to homes and communities left behind change throughout years of war?

    29 min

  8. 29/09/2023

    Automating Immigration in the Digital Age

    What do advancements in AI mean for immigration? We discuss the current and emerging practices of new technologies in the field, and explore developments in the use of predictive analytics, automated risk assessment and profiling. In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast, we discuss the current and emerging practices of using new technologies in the field of immigration, focusing on how border control, immigration and asylum policies are being impacted by the use of new technologies especially in and around Europe. With the help of our panel, we explore recent developments in the use of predictive analytics, automated risk assessments and profiling in immigration, and their main ethical implications. We are joined by Derya Ozkul, Senior Research Fellow at the Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford and member of the Migration Oxford network; and Caterina Rodelli, EU Policy Analyst at Access Now, a civil society organisation defending the digital rights of people and communities at risk. Derya is one of the project leads at the Algorithmic Fairness for Asylum Seekers (AFAR) project and her work explores the uses of new technologies in migration and asylum fields and their real-life impact on people on the move. Caterina’s work explores issues related to biometric surveillance, artificial intelligence, and, together with several other civil society organisations, she leads the #ProtectNotSurveil campaign. Guests: Derya Ozkul and Caterina Rodelli Hosts: Rob McNeil and Jacqui Broadhead Producer: Delphine Boagey Communications: Delphine Boagey

    27 min
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About

For several decades, researchers based at the University of Oxford have been addressing one of the most compelling human stories; why and how people move. Combining the expertise of the Centre on Migration Policy and Society, the Refugee Studies Centre, Border Criminologies in the Department of Law, the Transport Studies Unit in the School of Geography and the Environment, and scholars working on migration and mobility from across divisions and departments, the University has one the largest concentrations of migration researchers in the world. We all come together at Migration Oxford.

Information

  • Creator
    Oxford University
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Oxford University
  • Show Website
    The Migration Oxford Podcast

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