Social Citizenship and Migration symposium - three reasons to come along
The Social Citizenship and Migration interdisciplinary research programme is holding its annual symposium on 17 January 2024. This is the chance for Leiden researchers to share their experiences with a large network of colleagues with expertise in migration and social impact.
The Leiden interdisciplinary research programme Social Citizenship and Migration
looks at not only the migration of people but also its effects (or perceived effects) on policy, people and society. This means, says programme representative Marlou Schrover, that the research touches on much of the current political agenda. ‘We don’t just want to just talk about numbers, such as how many migrants are expected, or migration due to climate change. We also look at the societies where these migrants arrive or those they travel through. For example, how do societies deal with increased diversity due to migration? And the answer to that has everything to do with how societies deal with other forms of diversity, such as religion, class, gender or sexuality. A society’s response to migration also says a lot about its perception of citizenship, or nationalism.’
Leiden academics from a wide range of disciplines will talk about their research on 17 January 2024. Then the Social Citizenship and Migration programme will present itself and all it has to offer. Schrover gives three specific reasons to attend:
1) See the value of collaboration with other disciplines
‘This programme covers wide-ranging migration perspectives including its causes and consequences and all that is associated with migration, including from a historical, economic and legal perspective. At the start of our interdisciplinary collaboration, we realised it was not easy to speak each other’s language: What kind of research do we consider important? What questions should we ask? What do we understand certain terms to mean? Only when you truly understand that will you benefit from each other’s expertise. That’s why interdisciplinary events like these are important for all researchers.’
2) Expand your interdisciplinary network
‘When submitting applications such as NWA, NWO or ERC, there is often an emphasis on interdisciplinarity. All Leiden researchers know someone somewhere else at the university but your network can always grow. An event like this is a useful way to strengthen and expand your network.’
3) The people on the programme also have contacts with the media and policymakers
‘We have lots of migration experts who have leading roles in the public debate and the media. They also have contacts with policymakers. That makes this event a great opportunity to share experiences. For example, how do you go about providing a soundbite for the evening news on complex and nuanced research? How do you ensure your academic work is not politicised?’