BSRS2012: PhD Conference 2012 on Transnational Migration and Global Development
In June 2012 the University of Bergen will organise a PhD conference on BSRS-related themes. The title of the conference is Transnational migration and global development. Motivations for, and modes of migration are diverse and often overlapping: from voluntary labour migration to family migration to forced migration due to climate change, lack of food security, war, or ethnic and religious conflict. Common to all forms of migration, though, is that the economic, social and cultural relations in both sending and destination countries are altered as a result. How does this happen, and what is the impact for both the individuals involved and society at large? We believe that a transnational lens on these questions will help us better understand their dynamics and effects. This means, concretely, that we aim to transcend typical divides between development researchers specializing on countries in the South and migration researchers specializing on countries in the North. A transnational lens on migration means that we (in studies of migrants and/or the effects of immigration and emigration in specific localities, regions or countries) are sensitive to how transnational flows of money, culture and social relations influence migrants' adaptation and imagination as well as states' and regions' political regulation of migration across the South - North divide. Transnational networks span countries of settlement and emigration, Diasporas, civil society organizations, social movements and NGOs working with migrants and refugees' rights, and not least communities of belonging defined by religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality and race. This conference focuses on four interdisciplinary themes that may be researched from a range of different disciplines and geographical departures.
1) Political mobilization and collective action
2) Segregated zones of living: refugee camps, asylum centers, ghettos
4) Precarious lives: The law of states versus the law of peoples.
PhD scholars from all over the world will be invited to send in abstracts and up to 40 participants will be chosen to present their papers during the conference. Call for abstracts is now open online through the online application http://bsrs.no/application-form/ . Preliminary programme will be advertised on this web site as soon as it is ready.
are diverse and often overlapping: from voluntary labor migration to family migration to forced migration due to climate change, lack of food security, war, or ethnic and religious conflict. Common to all forms of migration, though, is that the economic, social and cultural relations in both sending and destination countries are altered as a result. How does this happen, and what is the impact for both the individuals involved and society at large? We believe that a transnational lens on these questions will help us better understand their dynamics and effects. This means, concretely, that we aim to transcend typical divides between development researchers specializing on countries in the South and migration researchers specializing on countries in the North. A transnational lens on migration means that we (in studies of migrants and/or the effects of immigration and emigration in specific localities, regions or countries) are sensitive to how transnational flows of money, culture and social relations influence migrants' adaptation and imagination as well as states' and regions' political regulation of migration across the South - North divide. Transnational networks span countries of settlement and emigration, Diasporas, civil society organizations, social movements and NGOs working with migrants and refugees' rights, and not least communities of belonging defined by religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality and race. This conference focuses on four interdisciplinary themes that may be researched from a range of different disciplines and geographical departures.
1) Political mobilization and collective action
2) Segregated zones of living: refugee camps, asylum centers, ghettos
4) Precarious lives: The law of states versus the law of peoples.
PhD scholars from all over the world will be invited to send in abstracts and up to 40 participants will be chosen to present their papers during the conference. Call for abstracts is now open online through the online application http://bsrs.no/application-form/ . Preliminary programme will be advertised on this web site as soon as it is ready.
Research-Based Education for Global Development Challenges
One of the important challenges for universities and academic institutions today is their continuation as the backbone of society, providing the knowledge and educating young people for addressing complex global challenges. Global development challenges affect us all, rich as well as poorer countries. Global Development challenges cannot be met without being prepared for the increasingly knowledge-based organization of social life; dependent on global shocks and forces as much as on national and local factors.
However, as inequalities continue to grow at an increasing pace, including inequalities in knowledge capacity and training, it is a responsibility for advanced economies and their academic institutions to take leadership, and to invest and share their resources and research results for the benefit of all. Norway is a committed donor country and a wealthy economy endowed with important natural resources. The Bergen academic milieu has committed to the rethinking of the implications of Norway’s position in the world today, emphasizing key themes and research that our institutions are already hosting.
The first four editions of the Bergen Summer Research School are dedicated to the following themes:
- Global Poverty-2008.
- Climate, Environment and Energy-2009.
- Global Health-2010.
- Norms, Values, Language and Culture-2011.
We view these four key areas of research as intrinsically interrelated, but also requiring their clear identification as dominant themes for the yearly edition of the BSRS. As the portfolio of courses indicates, these themes will be recurrent in each yearly edition as well.
For detailed information about the research school, please visit www.bsrs.no