MDC Series – Beyond Borders: Reframing The Migration Debate

As part of the ESRC’s Festival of Social Science Palgrave Macmillan will host a free to attend panel discussion on the 7th of November. Dynamic and rapidly evolving across disciplines, particularly in the face of political developments across the globe, it is an theme that too easily attracts myths and bias, and social science holds a crucial role and responsibility to inform the debate.

The event will bring together leading academics, policy-makers and the wider public to facilitate a discussion that uses insights from the latest social science research to challenge misinformation and demystify, reframe and broaden migration debates. The speakers will encourage a variety of multi- and interdisciplinary approaches, taking into account perspectives including gendered aspects of migration, human rights, citizenship, identity and belonging, borders (real and imagined) racism and xenophobia, and not shying from questioning fundamental definitions and narratives around “migrant” versus “ex-pat”.

The evening is hosted by Palgrave Macmillan, as part of Springer Nature and our Social Science Matters campaign, and in collaboration with the Academy of Social Sciences’ Campaign for Social Science. It will consist of a panel discussion and debate, followed by a networking reception to encourage further discussion between the audience and panellists.

Event schedule:

18:00-18:45 – Arrival and registration

18:45-20:00 – Presentations, debate and Q&A with the audience

20:00-21:00 – Drinks reception

Speakers:

Dr Rita Gardner CBE FAcSS, Chief Executive of the Academy of Social Sciences and its Campaign for Social Science.

Professor Nando Sigona, Chair of International Migration and Forced Displacement at the University of Birmingham.

Dr Michaela Benson, Reader in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Dr Gabrielle Hogan-Brun, Senior Research Fellow in Language and Economics at the University of Bristol.