SPAIS Migration Research Group

Migration has been a long-standing interest for the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS), not least as it founded the Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship, and is administrative home to Migration Mobilities Bristol (MMB).

The SPAIS Migration Research Group has been set up to promote migration research and teaching among SPAIS staff and PGRs.

Led by Dr. Samuel Okyere, this group aims to foster a community for migration intellectual exchanges in SPAIS. It will offer a space to rethink understandings of ‘migration’ and investigates structures of domination along lines of race, class, nation, gender and age that underpin state controls over mobility, enabling synergies with sociologists working on ethnicity and citizenship, gender and work.

Highlights of recent work:

POLICY EVIDENCE – Dr Lydia Medland (SPAIS) with colleague Dr Hannah Pitt from the University of Cardiff, submitted a contribution to the House of Lords Call for Evidence on the intention to establish a strategy for horticulture for England in April 2023.

RESEARCH PROJECT – UK-EU couples after Brexit: migrantisation and the UK family immigration regime: this 3 year project led by Professor Katharine Charsley with Dr Helena Wray (University of Exeter, Law School) charts the post-Brexit experiences of UK-EU couples, who had previously enjoyed an almost unconditional right to live in the UK and now must all apply for spouse/partner visas.