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 attention and influence in many countries.

The 5th Conference of the German Network of Forced Migration Studies aims to shed light on the global, regional and local contexts of forced migration and displacement, including the causes and trends that force people into mobility, but also immobility. Contributions to the Conference may address a variety of issues, such as the geopolitical, economic, social and other factors that contribute to forced displacement worldwide. Case studies from different countries, regions and communities can show how different actors are responding to migration and what strategies have been developed to address the challenges of forced migration and displacement.

The Conference will also look at the challenges and obstacles faced by refugees and their host communities, as well as the positive impacts that immigration can have. These include issues of integration, social justice, access to education and adequate health care, as well as issues related to the protection of human rights. Gender-critical, queer and post/de-colonial perspectives are particularly welcome, as are reflections on ethical dimensions, research-reflective contributions and discourse-analytical approaches that illuminate the interrelationships between media, politics, civil society and academia. In addition, contributions may address the role of the media in producing discourses of forced migration and integration, how these influence policy and practice, and how academics position themselves in this regard. Finally, the Conference will look at best practices and innovative solutions that address global refugee movements, including initiatives and strategies from policy, civil society, education and research. In particular, the Conference aims to highlight the role of refugee organisations and their important role in the further development of the global refugee protection system to adequately take into account refugees and their perspectives. 

The conference is open to refugee and non-refugee researchers 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 will be English and German.

The conference will be 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 will begin 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 will take place on 17 and 18 September 2024.

There will be scholarships for refugees and (limited) financial support for applicants without institutional support. If you require a visa for the conference, we will be happy to provide you with a letter to support your visa application. You can enter your information in this form.

The conference is 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 is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The local organisation is 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.

You are responsible for booking your own accommodation for the conference. However, we have set up a limited call-off contingent at three hotels for you: 

Motel One Beethoven ,180€/night (plus accommodation tax of 6%) without breakfast; bookable until 4.8.2024.

Motel One Bonn-Beethoven, Berliner Freiheit 36, 53111 Bonn, +49 228 9727860, ...

B&B Hotel Bonn West,78€/night (plus accommodation tax of 6%) without breakfast; bookable until 31.07.2024

Heinrich-Böll-Ring 7, 53119 Bonn, +49 228 62997-0, ...

Speiserei & Gästehaus Balthasar Neumann, 75€/night - 85€/night without breakfast; bookable until 31.08.2024

Janshofspassage 1 , 50321 Brühl , 02232 99 33 67, ...

You can reserve rooms under the keyword "NWFF2024"

We would like to inform you that you can register as a participant for our 5th Conference of the German Network for Forced Migration Studies in September this year via the ConfTool system up to and including 01 August 2024!  

This registration is a necessary prerequisite for participation in the conference. To register as a participant, every person who will take part in the conference in any way needs a valid user account in ConfTool. You can find the link to create one here: https://www.conftool.pro/fluchtforschungskonferenz2024/  

As soon as you are logged into your user account, the option "Register as a participant" will appear in the first block. Please follow the steps shown there.  

Please select one of the 4 possible participation statuses during registration. The fee to be paid will be determined on the basis of these:   

• regular participation on site: 40,00 € 

• discounted participation on site: 25,00 € 

• regular participation online: 15,00 € 

• discounted participation online: 10,00 € 

Please pay EXCLUSIVELY via the system. If you have any problems with the payment, please contact us immediately. Please do not make any payments independently of the system.   

Please note: Discounted participation in the conference is exclusively for students and refugees.   

If you have any questions or difficulties with registration, please contact us at any time at konferenz@fluchtforschung.net  

Please note that pictures or videos will be recorded during the conference. These recordings will be used for the purpose of publication on BICC’s homepage, social media and in print and online publications. Please contact the photographer at the conference or write us an E-Mail to konferenz@fluchtforschung.net, if you do not wish to be recorded. After the event, you can object to the use of the recordings at any time without giving reasons. Your recordings will then be deleted or made unrecognizable. 

You can find our privacy notice here: https://www.bicc.de/datenschutzerklaerung