Report: FFVT-SFB PhD and Postdoc Colloquium in forced migration and refugee research

The FFVT and Collaborative Research Centre (SFB 1604 “Production of Migration”) aim to jointly promote exchange and networking among junior researchers in forced migration and refugee research. To this end, we held our first FFVT-SFB PhD-/Postdoc-Colloquium at IMIS, Osnabrück University. With a diverse group of participants originating from Afghanistan, Germany, Switzerland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe but based in universities in Germany (Greifswald, Bremen, Osnabruck, Hildesheim, Münster, Fulda, Chemnitz, Munich) and neighbouring countries (Maastricht, Neufchatel), we discussed a wide range of topics. This included remittances, legal perspectives, political agency and participation, decision-making during the migration journey, refugee protection and asylum regimes, (un-)deportability as well as attitudes and arrival infrastructures in the host societies. Moreover, vivid cross-cutting discussions touched upon methods, research ethics, conceptual clarity and reflexivity. The colloquium was complemented by a keynote from Benjamin Etzold (Bonn University/bicc) highlighting current trends and pathways in forced migration and refugee research as well as a session about reflexivity in forced migration studies moderated by Nandita Dutta (SFB, Osnabrück University). We will follow up the colloquium with some online workshops to deepen specific issues. 

The next fully-funded FFVT-SFB PhD-/Postdoc-Colloquium will be held in October 2026; the call we will circulate around late March 2026. 

Franck Düvell (FFVT) & Christine Lang (FFVT & SFB)