On December 15th, 2023, members of our research cluster joined the International Migrants Day Conference at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. This conference is hosted annually by the Asian Research Center for Migration’s Centre of Excellence on Migration and Development, bringing together various stakeholders including researchers, practitioners, politicians, and international and local non-governmental organizations to discuss current migration-related issues.
Centered around the theme “Exploring Pathways for Migrant Inclusion”, this year’s conference featured the following four panels:
- Climate-Related Migration
- Labour, Legal Pathways and Social Protection
- Education, Skills, and Employability
- Neglected Conflicts and Displacement
Our research cluster contributed to the fourth panel on "Neglected Conflicts and Displacement", chaired by Naruemon Thabchumpon. Drawing on the perspectives from the two distinct conflict zones under study in our project, Michaela Pelican and Roland Balgah shared insights into displacement in Cameroon, while Bhanubhatra Kaan Jittiang presented Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism. Additionally, presentations on healthcare for displaced populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh by Tom Triall and on the situation of asylum seekers in Indonesia by Prof. Antje Missbach enriched the discussion.
In my view, the conference seemed particularly fruitful because it reached beyond the purely academic circle. By bringing together voices from various academic, political and civil society perspectives, it gave us the opportunity to listen to and learn from more diverse forms of knowledge and experiences that are necessary for addressing the complexity of questions around migration and inclusion. The conference further provided a valuable platform for networking and collaboration. It allowed participants to engage in question-and-answer sessions and informal discussions with each other, which enabled us to meet old and new colleagues and connect to people with similar fields of interest and expertise. For our research cluster, it was a particularly enriching experience as it marked the first time that some of us had the opportunity to meet in person. Given that our usual mode of collaboration is online, these rare face-to-face meetings were valuable for facilitating thematic discussions, exchanges on personal experiences, as well as productive discussions concerning our publication plans and upcoming field trip activities… which you can read more about below!
Written by Madita Teusen
The full conference recording is available on Facebook and can be accessed here: https://fb.watch/o-mgMiPWWO/
Official abstract: Exploring Pathways for Migrant Inclusion
“As the drivers of migration and mobility become increasingly complicated, this year’s conference highlights new and innovative research, programs and policies in Thailand, ASEAN and beyond that seek to improve the inclusion of migrant populations in societies. Faced with multiple and emerging crises, ranging from environmental changes, economic insecurity, to violence and conflicts, we continue to witness how migrants and their families, characterised by diverse identity markers, face barriers and exclusions throughout their journeys, in work, health, education, social protection, emergency responses and (re)integration. This year’s conference therefore explores new and current international, national and local approaches, policies and practices that seek to include, support and secure migrants’ well-being.”