Migration scholars in the IMISCOE (International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion in Europe) Research Network express our solidarity with the values espoused by the global movement against structural racism and racial injustice, not the least in the form of Black Lives Matter
We seize this moment to reflect further on ways in which we can strive towards racial justice and equality in our research and in our practices as a research community. We recognise that migration scholars have an important role to play in supporting racially discriminated scholars within our organisation, research and outreach activities. Towards this IMISCOE will:
Reflect
- Audit current activities and roles in order to develop concrete and time-tabled action plans for IMISCOE specifically and for migration studies in general
- Reflect how the network represents itself, i.e. its name and mode of organisation in external communications
Represent
- Invite, include, and work with leadership by black and other racialized and discriminated scholars within the various IMISCOE bodies and committees
- Enhance the presence and participation of black and racially discriminated scholars at IMISCOE events and activities, including plenaries, keynotes, publication strategies
- Improve citational practices in our research to highlight black and other discriminated scholars’ research and insights
Redress
- Establish an IMISCOE Seminar Series to explore and address structural racism and racial inequities in migration research and improve support for anti-racist and anti-discriminatory research and researchers
- Setting up research initiative and/or standing committee on the study of racism, discrimination, racist and antiracist movements, and policies, while striving to mainstream these issues within IMISCOE more generally
- Facilitate IMISCOE’s interdisciplinary researchers to strengthen their teaching, pedagogies, and curriculum content so as to enhance critical perspectives on racism, coloniality, and discrimination and how these intersect with gender and class and other intersectional insights
- Improve access to IMISCOE activities and events for scholars in the global South, recognising that global divisions of injustice blocks and impedes scholars from Global South from participating on equal terms. It will strive to ensure that IMISCOE becomes a network of research institutions that is truly international in scope
Review
- Publish annual reports on the progress made regarding the goals above reflected in IMISCOE governance and strategy, communications, teaching, and PhD training
As migration scholars we are part of a broader academic community in which the struggle against racism and racial injustice is important. We will thus strive to encourage similar actions within our universities and research centres.