ESPMI and the CARFMS 2018 Conference on Dialogue Beyond Borders

Tonight I have just finished packing ahead of an early start tomorrow (4.30am, yikes) in order to get to the airport in time for a flight to Ottawa via Halifax, Canada.  This is in order to attend the Candian Associaton for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS) annual conference, this year entitled `Dialogue Beyond Borders.’  For this conference I will be representing the Emerging Scholars and Practitioners in Migration Issues (ESPMI) as we have been successful in a funding application to the Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council for a Connections Grant entitled “Connecting Emerging Scholars and Practitioners to Foster Critical Reflections and Innovation on Migration Research.” 

The aim of this project is to “bring together emerging scholars and practitioners, including students, early career professionals, and researchers, as well as experienced scholars and practitioners, to launch four knowledge clusters in the field of forced migration incorporating: New Dissemination Practices & Public Engagement in Forced Migration Research; Bridging Forced Migration Research to Policy and Practice; Methodological Challenges in Forced Migration Research; and Supporting Emerging Migration Scholars and Practitioners.  The clusters will also conduct outreach at academic institutions, research centres, and community groups to encourage the participation of new scholars interested in pursuing migration-related education in the social sciences.” 

The CARMS conference will be held at Carleton University between May 22-May 25, 2018 with the aim of:

Refugee and Forced Migration Studies has strived to foster both disciplinary and multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and co-disciplinary forms of research. It has also been a field that has sought, in various ways, to engage with elements of policy and practice relating to displacement. It also strives to engage with, and often directly involve, the perspectives and experience of individuals and groups that have been displaced. In these ways, is has also been a field that has sought to speak beyond the various borders and boundaries that can constrain dialogue. 

What have been the benefits and challenges of these various forms of dialogue? How can we, individually and collectively, promote more meaningful dialogue between disciplines, with the displaced, and between the research, policy and practitioner communities? How can such dialogue promote better protection, assistance and solutions with and for the displaced? 

Further details on our ESPMI Research Clusters and a sign up form  For more information about the programme, see our ESPMI Resarch Clusters webpage and/or contact me on p.v.dudman@uel.ac.uk.