Lecture series on displacement and migration brings together international research perspectives

The lecture series brings together different academic perspectives on displacement, asylum and borders. It focuses on questions concerning the impact of migration and asylum policy, legal uncertainty, racialisation, and gender-based and social inequalities. “The lecture series is deliberately designed to be online, international and interdisciplinary. Forced migration literally compels us to think across borders, as refugee movements, border regimes and social inequalities are interlinked,” explains Dr Mouna Maaroufi, research assistant at the Professorship for Comparative Cultural and Social Anthropology.

In six lectures delivered in English, researchers from various countries will examine both the political and institutional conditions surrounding forced migration and the experiences of those affected. “It is important to us not only to look at institutions and regimes, but also at the perspectives and scope for action of the refugees themselves,” emphasises Dr Marija Grujić, who is also a research fellow at the Professorship for Comparative Cultural and Social Anthropology.

The lectures provide insights into different regional and social contexts. To kick off the series, Melanie Griffiths examines how uncertainty about a possible loss of residence rights affects fathers and their families. Other presentations will address, amongst other things, collective forms of protest and action by refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, border policies in the Mediterranean region, and the realities of life for Afghan refugees in Poland and Germany. The question of how different forms of social disadvantage influence the vulnerability of refugees will also be addressed.

Closing discussion with stakeholders from Brandenburg

The lecture series will conclude on Wednesday, 3 February 2027, 4.15 pm, with a hybrid panel discussion entitled ‘Welcoming refugees? Local reception, support and political participation’. Experts from the worlds of politics and practice in the state of Brandenburg have been invited to discuss the reception, support and political participation of refugees. The event will also pay tribute to the long-standing commitment of regional stakeholders.

“For us, dialogue with people who are directly involved in implementing and shaping asylum and participation policies in their day-to-day work is of central importance. This is because these policies take effect in specific local contexts and, in practice, sometimes unfold differently from what political programmes or legal regulations might suggest,” explains Mouna Maaroufi.

The ‘Forced Migration’ lecture series is organised by the Viadrina Center B/ORDERS IN MOTION. The English-language lectures take place online on Wednesdays, mostly from 4.15 pm to 5.45 pm. An exception is the lecture on 25 November, which begins at 2.15 pm. The concluding panel discussion on 3 February will take place in a hybrid format in Room 109 of the Main Building of the European University Viadrina and online.

Registration: One-off registration for the online events

Heike Stralau, Translated by DeepL and edited