The first Doctoral Researcher Symposium on Migration and Diaspora, jointly organised by the research centre Hub on Migration, Exile, Languages and Spaces (HOMELandS) and the Graduate School of the University of Westminster, took place on 19 May 2023.
This is a follow-up event of the 2021 Many Faces of Migration: An Interdisciplinary Unconference organised by HOMELandS in collaboration with the University's Research Communities. It is aimed at providing a platform for doctoral researchers working on migration and diaspora to share their research and foster further collaboration in this field across disciplines.
The symposium was opened by Professor Andrew Linn, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Head of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who delivered an inspirational speech on the value of impactful migration research as one of the strategic research areas of the University. Dr Margherita Sprio, Acting Head of the Graduate School, and Dr Cangbai Wang, Co-leader of HOMELandS, welcomed the audiences on behalf of the Organising Committee. Throughout the day, the symposium featured a diverse range of presentations by doctoral researchers from School of Humanities, Westminster School of Arts, Centre for Research and Education in Art and Media (CREAM)c, and the School of Organisations, Economy and Society. It was well attended by academics and Doctoral Researchers from the University and other universities as well as representations from the Home Office and NGOs.
The first panel focused on migration and London with Dr Cangbai Wang acting as the discussant, providing feedback and a critical lens to the papers presented. It brought together exciting case studies of Tunisians in London, Latin London memories, and reimagining London’s Chinatown, offering fresh perspectives to the complex negotiation of space, place, home and identities in a global city.
The second panel with Dr Federica Mazzara as the discussant, explored issues of war refugees, African literature on diasporas and the counter discourse of immobility produced around the phenomenon of boat migration across the Pacific Ocean. Through the lens of diasporic literature, the panel contributed to the discussion of contested memories, transcultural interpretation and the representations of border.
Migrant and Space was the focus of the third panel with Dr Lilian Miles as the discussant. Featuring documentary films on the trauma of Syrian refugees and the Black British Community in Thamesmead, it opened new space for exploring dis/replacement, lived experiences and voices from the margin through the media of visual art.
The fourth panel was a specially designed alumni panel chaired by Dr Saskia Huc-Hepher and attended by Dr Giulia Pepe and Dr Benedetta Morsiani who shared their first-hand experience in research and work with the audience, and offered helpful advice on how doctoral research of migration and diaspora benefit employability and career development.
The concluding session was chaired jointly by Professor Terry Lamb, Dr Margherita Sprio and Dr Cangbai Wang that drew out main themes across panels and discussed future activities toward the building of a Westminster brand of research into migration and diaspora.
This highly-anticipated symposium fosters an environment that supports doctoral researchers and nurtures cutting-edge interdisciplinary research on migration and diaspora. It also provided an excellent opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange. These interactions allowed for fruitful discussions and the exploration of potential collaborations, ensuring that the research presented at the symposium would have a lasting impact.
After attending the symposium, Mohsin Ravjani, CEO/Co-founder of ChangeAhead.org.uk, said: “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the organisers, presenters and participants of the Doctoral Researcher Symposium on Migration and Diaspora, held at the University of Westminster. It was an enlightening and impactful event that showcased the importance of interdisciplinary research in understanding and addressing migration and diaspora issues. […] We deeply value the insights and knowledge shared at this symposium. It has provided us with a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances surrounding migration and diaspora, which in turn helps us in our mission to drive positive change and support affected communities.”
The symposium was funded by School of Humanities and the Graduate School at the University of Westminster.
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