The Borders & Migration Research Group is a newly revived research space for collaborative and critical work on borders, migration and mobility. Based in the Department of War Studies, the group brings together scholars at all career stages, with a strong commitment to supporting early career researchers and PhD students, in order to explore the political, social, economic and historical dimensions of movement, exclusion, bordering and control practices. While the BMRG aims to create space for research development, feedback, and collaboration across disciplines and approaches, we are also keen to be a platform for connecting academic research with broader audiences such as practitioners, artists, journalists, and policy actors. Through planned events such as a new seminar series, collaborative workshops, and public talks, the group aims to build a vibrant and inclusive research community.
Originally set up in the wake of the misnamed "European refugee crisis", the BMRG sought to develop a better understanding of migration. For instance, in the past, our work studied the effects of migration management policies and the lived experiences of people on the move.
The Group's past projects included:
- Collaborative research, such as the student-led Humans of Calais project
- Advocacy
- The development of policy advice, such as the Legal Pathways to Protection project
The Group has been dormant for the past few years. So, now, we are actively looking for new members to help shape the future direction of BMRG. If your work touches on any aspect of borders or migration, and you are curious to connect with others who share these research interests, we'd love to hear from you! To join to group, or to learn more, please contact the group's co-leads, Dr Samah Rafiq and Dr Lucrezia Canzutti, or email us at mrg@kcl.ac.uk.
Group leads
Lecturer in International Relations Theory
Research Associate