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DeZIM Conference 2023: Migration Research in Times of Multiple Crises
DeZIM Institute is celebrating its 5th anniversary. We are pleased to take this opportunity to invite you to our annual conference on 27 and 28 September 2023 in Berlin. Under the title "Migration Research in Times of Multiple Crises" we would like to discuss with you and other guests how current political and social challenges are reflected in trends and new perspectives of migration research – or how they would need to be addressed.
Given the urgency and social relevance of its topics, migration and integration research faces enormous demands and tasks. These are partly shaped and complicated by a global situation with numerous crises such as pandemics, economic crises, climate change and wars. Against this background, several important challenges arise for empirical research:
- Societal pressure for action requires timely production of solid scientific evidence.
- There is an increasing demand from civil society and public institutions to participate in knowledge production.
- Multiple crises lead to rapid changes in the conditions and phenomena of research.
DeZIM invites scientists and practitioners to discuss these and other questions in Berlin. On the evening of 27 September we will hold a ceremony celebrating 5 years of DeZIM-Institute with welcoming address, expert contributions and a panel discussion.
We would be very pleased if you are able to follow our invitation.
The conference will be held in English, the Wednesday evening ceremony in German. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided.
Registration & Location
The conference registration deadline has already passed. Please note that we will not be able to consider late registrations.
Location: Auditorium Friedrichstraße, Berlin
Wednesday, September 27th
- 1:00 pm Arrival and Registration
- 1:45 pm Welcome Note
Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan & Prof. Dr. Frank Kalter (Directors of DeZIM Institute) - 1:50 pm Opening Remarks
Dr. Noa K. Ha (Scientific Managing Director of DeZIM Institute) - 2:00 pm Panel (EN)
Contested Diversity in Organizations
Diversity has become a buzzword in public and private, national, and international organizations throughout the Global North. Social movements, sociodemographic changes and new laws are putting pressure on both public and private organizations to take diversity seriously and develop new ways of including it into their organizational DNA. However, how this should be done is a highly contentious topic within organizations and in society at large. What is captured in the term “diversity,” whose demands and what groups are included, how it is linked to the anti-discrimination and anti-racism agenda and how diversity can be quantified – all this is highly contested between academics, activists, different communities, political institutions, and the public at large. Often these struggles are linked to differences in political and stakeholder interests, the interplay of different diversity ideologies, norms and attitudes on minority inclusion, the recognition of injustices, and/or the impact of (structural) racism. Researching diversity in (public) organizations thus is confronted with various challenges: How can we conceptualize diversity and who should get a voice in that process? How can we quantify and conduct legitimate and inclusive research on diversity in organizations? How do we create policy relevant knowledge from the findings and what are best ways to communicate it? The aim of this panel is to discuss these issues critically and to provide impetus for the advancement of research in the field of organizational diversity.
Keynote: Rethinking Belonging and Diversity in (Post)Migration Societies: How to Create Inclusive Environments? Prof. Dr. Karen Phalet (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Impulse: Challenge Accepted: Researching Diversity in German Public Organizations Dr. Annett Gräfe-Geusch & Dr. Maryam Rutner (DeZIM Institute)
Impulse: Before Diversity Becomes a Bubble: Empirical Notes on a Concept of Inclusive Diversity Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick (DeZIM Research Community: Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence, Universität Bielefeld)
Discussant: Prof. Dr. Karen Schönwälder (Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen)
Chair: Prof. Dr. Sabrina Zajak (DeZIM Institute) - 3:30 pm Break
- 4:00 pm Panel (EN)
Monitoring Migration Trends: A Critical Reflection on Understanding Dynamics, Causes and Developments of Migration Over Time
Migration is a dynamic process often determined by unforeseen events. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent migration of Ukrainians to the European Union is a clear case in point. Despite this unpredictability of migration flows and patterns, policymakers must develop migration policies that accept and deal with the realities of migration while also being able to respond to crises and anticipate long-term trends. The panel will critically discuss how research can help to identify the most significant migration trends to monitor over the next five years such as the relationship between climate change and migration, the use of data in migration policy and forecasting; or migrant transnationalism. Additionally, the panel will discuss how migration policies can react strategically to these trends.
Keynote: Global Migration Dynamics over the Next Five Years: Prospects and Paradoxes in a time of disruption Dr. Marie McAuliffe (International Organization for Migration, IOM)
Impulse: Monitoring Key Developments in Migration Policie. Dr. Pau Palop-García & Dr. Ramona Rischke (DeZIM Institute)
Impulse: The Changing Meaning of Borders Dr. habil. Frank Wolff (DeZIM Research Community: Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies, Universität Osnabrück)
Discussant: Prof. Dr. Andreas Wimmer (Colombia University, New York)
Chair: Dr. Zeynep Yanaşmayan (DeZIM Institute) - 5.30 pm Break
- 6:00 pm Ceremony
- 7:30 pm Reception
Five Years of the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research – the DeZIM Institute in Berlin
Opening Remarks Federal Minister Lisa Paus
Five Years of DeZIM Institute Berlin Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan and Prof. Dr. Frank Kalter (Directors of the DeZIM Institute)
Panel Discussion
Migration Demand vs. Migration Control? Scientific Insights and Policy Options.
In 2023, the number of unfilled positions in Germany has reached a new high of 1.98 million. In many areas of the German economy, there has been a shortage of qualified skilled workers for years, affecting not just economic growth but the provision of fundamental social and health care services (education, training, nursing). Furthermore, the demand for low-skilled personnel in sectors such as construction, catering or retail is higher than ever before. These problems are unlikely to resolve themselves as 30 percent of the workforce in western industrialized countries are due to retire in the next ten years. One strategy that is frequently highlighted by economists as a solution is “migration”. As Germany is facing the second major migration influx in a short time as a consequence of the war against Ukraine as well as many other global crises situations, the question of opportunities for this strategy seems to be obvious – social and economic integration of new migrants could contribute to solving the blatant work force shortages. However, pragmatic and productive takes towards the current migration flows seem to be in crisis – and at least in public discussions, perspectives of solidarity are less audible now than in the years after 2015 or in the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine. Instead, we hear more often about “glaring problems” in local accommodation and integration, and more voices framing these problems as prospects of social or cultural conflict. And – throughout the political spectrum, we hear demands to but “migration on hold” – in general. Demands, in detail, for tighter border controls, restrictions on family reunification, more repatriations and deportations, among other things. And last but not least, support is growing for right-wing populist parties and positions that call for drastic and undemocratic measures in these regards. The panel will shed light on this rising controversy between migration demand and calls for migration control. The panelists will contribute to question simplified views on both the problems we are facing as well as the solutions presented – for both, society and science. The panel will ask for policy options beyond the polarization on “the” question of migration – and on the question, what and how migration research can contribute to political solutions, that actually face the complexity of our societies in a world of migration.
Introduction: Prof. Dr. Frank Kalter (Director of the DeZIM Institute)
Panel:
Federal Minister Lisa Paus (Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth – BMFSFJ),
Saskia Esken (Federal Chairwoman, Social Democratic Party),
Prof. Dr. Herbert Brücker (DeZIM Research Association: Head of Research Department, Institute for Employment Research IAB, Nuremberg),
Karen Taylor (Representative of the Federal Conference of Migrant Organizations BKMO),
Prof. Dr. Steffen Mau (Member of the The Expert Council on Integration and Migration SVR; Department of Social Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin).
Chair: Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan (Director of the DeZIM Institute)
Thursday, 28. September 2023
- 9:30 am Panel (EN)
Looking beyond Surveys: New Sources, Large Datasets, Innovative Methods
This panel examines the significance of incorporating diverse data sources beyond traditional surveys in integration, migration, and discrimination research. It explores the value of digital trace data, Twitter data, psychological test data (e.g. on reaction times and decisions under time pressure), and newspaper data in uncovering crucial insights pertaining to integration, discrimination, and migration. By bringing together field experts, the panel aims to discuss the key dimensions of utilizing alternative data sources and methodologies in integration and migration research. This includes identifying methodologies that can enhance our understanding of integration, migration, and discrimination processes, as well as examining the challenges and opportunities associated with leveraging large datasets generated through public administration and communication processes. Through insightful discussions and presentations, the panel provides a glimpse into the future of research, emphasizing the importance of incorporating diverse data sources to achieve a comprehensive understanding of societal issues surrounding migration and integration.
Keynote: Opportunities and Challenges of Digital Trace Data: Lessons from the Global Mobilities Project Prof. Dr. Emanuel Deutschmann (Europa-Universität Flensburg)
Impulse: What a Questionnaire Does Not Tell Us: Using Twitter Data and Psychological Tests in Research on Discrimination Dr. Susanne Veit, Susanne Reinhardt (DeZIM-Institute)
Impulse: Focusing Events and Long-term Change of Target Group Constructions in the Media: An Introduction to and Analysis of the MigPress Corpora Prof. Dr. Andreas Blätte (DeZIM Research Community: Interdisciplinary Centre for Integration and Migration Research, InZentIM)
Discussant: Prof. Dr. Ruud Koopmans (DeZIM Research Community: WZB Berlin Social Science Center)
Chair: Dr. Jannes Jacobsen (DeZIM Institut) - 11:00 am Break
- 11:15 am Panel (EN)
Quick Facts in Times of Crisis: Examples and Challenges from DeZIM Research on the War Against Ukraine
In times of crisis, quick decisions are needed that are based on precise information. The time pressure of acute crises results in a tension for scientific research between careful data collection and evaluation on the one hand and rapid knowledge transfer on the other. Using the example of DeZIM research on the admission of Ukrainians after the start of the war against Ukraine, this panel will discuss the challenges, opportunities and risks of scientific data collection in and at times of crisis. The focus is on the question of how the necessary data quality can be ensured and how remaining uncertainties can be taken into account in the transfer of knowledge. After all, data collection faces particular challenges in crisis situations: Time pressure, a lot of dynamics in the field and yet usually limited resources. As a result, the quality of the data collected can be compromised, leading to inaccuracies, distortions and, in the worst case, erroneous conclusions. However, the urgency of knowledge transfer limits the possibilities for control and thus possibly the quality and accuracy of the results. The experts in the panel will discuss the complexity of short-term data collection and its impact on knowledge transfer in times of crisis, taking into account theoretical and practical perspectives, case studies as well as best practice examples.
Keynote: IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees in Germany: Challenges and Prospects in Times of Multiple Crises Prof. Dr. Yuliya Kosyakova (DeZIM Research Community: Institute for Employment Research, IAB / University of Bamberg)
Impulse: Monitoring Solidarity with Refugees in Times of High Immigration Dr. Jörg Dollmann (DeZIM Institute)
Impulse: Qualitative Panel Study With Ukrainian Families in Germany: Learning About and With the Protection Seekers Prof. Dr. Magdalena Nowicka (DeZIM Institute)
Discussant: Prof. Dr. Harald Bauder (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Chair: Dr. Niklas Harder (DeZIM Institute) - 12:45 pm Lunch
- 2:30 pm Panel (EN)
"With" rather than "About": Potentials of Reflexive Social Research on Migration and Racism
In recent years, research on migration and racism has gained more importance in Germany, and research outputs are finding more resonance in society and politics. However, in the other direction, in the relationship of this research to its field, it seems to remain difficult: racialised and marginalised communities have been formulating their concerns about the "untouchability" of research, researchers and research designs for quite some time. How can knowledge production, which is still often a one-way street, be shaped differently? How can "research about" become "research with"? In this panel, experts will explore the potential of reflexive social research. They will discuss how tensions, ambivalences, and contradictions between research "about" and research "with" communities can be managed. This includes addressing the question of who or what "communities" are. A particular focus will be on transdisciplinary methodologies that promise collaboration, knowledge exchange and mutual learning between researchers and communities affected by racism. From historical, sociological, and intersectional perspectives, the panel will (1) critically evaluate the role of the researcher, (2) highlight the importance of reflexive social research in addressing these issues, and (3) suggest possible ways to overcome ethical dilemmas that may arise in conducting research on migration and racism.
Keynote: Communities as Entities - the Multiplication of Racism Prof. Dr. Serhat Karakayali (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg)
Impulse: Reflexive Social Research on Racism, Gender and Class in a Global City Context Dr. Harpreet Cholia (Stabsstelle Antidiskriminierung, Stadt Frankfurt am Main)
Impulse: Knowlegde Production by Whom? The "Migration Researcher" as a Contested Figure Prof. Dr. Andreas Pott (DeZIM Research Community: Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies, IMIS)
Discussant: Prof. Dr. Zerrin Salıkutluk (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; DeZIM Institute)
Chair: Dr. Cihan Sinanoğlu (DeZIM Institute) - 4:00 pm Closing Remarks Dr. Noa K. Ha (DeZIM Institute)
- 4:30 pm End of the conference
