5th Conference of the German Network for Forced Migration Studies

Forced migration and displacement in the context of violent conflicts and natural disasters have been on the rise for years. At the same time, right-wing populist voices against immigration and people seeking protection are gaining more and more attention and influence in many countries.

The 5th conference of the German Network of Forced Migration Studies dealt with the global, regional and local contexts of flight and displacement, including the causes and trends that force people to be mobile, but also immobile. Conference contributions were dedicated to a variety of questions, such as the geopolitical, economic, social and other factors that contribute to flight and displacement worldwide. Case studies from different countries, regions and municipalities showed how various actors react to immigration and which strategies have been established to deal with the challenges of flight and displacement.

The conference also looked at the challenges and obstacles faced by refugees and their host communities, as well as the positive effects immigration can have. These include issues of integration, social justice, access to education and adequate healthcare, as well as issues relating to the protection of human rights. Gender-critical, queer and post/de-colonial perspectives were particularly welcome, as were reflections on ethical dimensions, research-reflective contributions and discourse-analytical approaches that shed light on the interrelationships between the media, politics, civil society and academia. In addition, contributions examined the role of the media in the production of discourses on flight and integration, how these influence policy and practice, and how academics position themselves in this regard. Finally, the conference focussed on best practices and innovative solutions that address global refugee movements, for example initiatives and strategies from politics, civil society, education and research. In particular, the conference highlighted the role of refugee organisations and their important role in the further development of the global refugee protection system in order to adequately consider refugees and their perspectives.

The conference was aimed at refugee and non-refugee academics at all career levels, practitioners, students and interested parties.

Answers to further questions can be found in the Q&A section.

Information about the conference:

The conference languages were English and German.

The conference was held in Bonn, Germany, from 16 September to 18 September 2024 in the main building (“Hauptgebäude”) of the University of Bonn (Am Hof 1, 53113 Bonn). It began with a kick-off event in the early evening of 16 September 2024. The parallel sessions with panels, roundtables and workshops as well as poster presentations took place on 17 and 18 September 2024.

The conference was organised in cooperation with the German Network for Forced Migration Studies, the joint project "Forced Migration and Refugee Studies: Networking and Knowledge Transfer” and the European Coalition of Migrants and Refugees (EU COMAR) and was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The local organisation was led by BICC (Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies) with the support of the Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg–University of Applied Sciences, Bonn University, the Forum Internationale Wissenschaft and IDOS (German Institute for Development and Sustainability) as well as the Bonn Initiative on Displacement and Migration Research.