To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL END OF AWARD REPORT

For awards ending on or after 1 November 2009 This End of Award Report should be completed and submitted using the grant reference as the email subject, to [email protected] on or before the due date. The final instalment of the grant will not be paid until an End of Award Report is completed in full and accepted by ESRC. Grant holders whose End of Award Report is overdue or incomplete will not be eligible for further ESRC funding until the Report is accepted. ESRC reserves the right to recover a sum of the expenditure incurred on the grant if the End of Award Report is overdue. (Please see Section 5 of the ESRC Research Funding Guide for details.) Please refer to the Guidance notes when completing this End of Award Report. Grant Reference Grant Title Grant Start Date Grant End Date Grant holding Institution

RES-451-26-0596 Understanding the Migrant Experience 1st March 2009 Total Amount £14,641.48 th Expended: 28 Feb 2011 Centre for Migration Policy Research (CMPR), Swansea University Grant Holder Professor Heaven Crawley Grant Holder’s Contact Address Email Details Centre for Migration Policy [email protected] Research Telephone Swansea University +44 (0)1792 602409 Wallace Building Singleton Park Swansea SA2 8PP Co-Investigators (as per project application): Institution

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To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

1. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Please provide below a project summary written in non-technical language. The summary may be used by ESRC to publicise your work and should explain the aims and findings of the project. [Max 250 words] Although there is a growing interest among policy makers and other non-academic users of research in the experiences of migrants (for example, in their motivations for coming to the UK or in their experiences of accessing public services), this interest often translates into simplistic understandings of ‘the migrant experience’ or in forms of engagement with migrants which are regarded as superficial or tokenistic or used to justify particular policy responses or approaches. This Research Seminar Series aimed to increase currents level of academic, policy and political interest in the experiences and voices of migrants and migrant communities by bringing together academics from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds with policy makers, non-academic researchers and knowledge brokers, advocates, practitioners, artists and migrants themselves in a series of six one-day day events which explored different aspects of ‘the migrant experience’ and our engagement with it. The Seminars explored: - Theoretical and historical understandings of ‘the migrant experience’ - The role of gender, age, class and race in shaping ‘the migrant experience’ - Methodological issues in understanding and capturing experiences of migration - The role of the arts in understanding experiences of migration - The politics of ‘the migrant voice’ and - The ways in which ‘the migrant experience’ into policy and practice The Seminar Series revealed the complexities of ‘the migrant experience’, the dangers of focusing on abstract categories intended to capture those experiences, and the importance of better understanding, and engaging with, the politics of representation in the policy making process.

2. PROJECT OVERVIEW a) Objectives

Please state the aims and objectives of your project as outlined in your proposal to the ESRC. [Max 200 words] The overall aim of this Research Seminar Series was to increase the current level of academic, policy and political interest in the experiences and voices of migrants and migrant communities. It aimed to do so in ways that engaged with - and was reflexive to - the complexity and variety of migrant experiences and with the political construction and reconstruction of migrant identities and voices (by academic, policy makers, public bodies, voluntary sector organisations and refugee and migrant groups themselves). This overall aim was reflected in three specific objectives, namely: - To better understand and theorise what might be termed ‘the migrant experience’ and the questions of migrant agency and hybridity - To explore the methodological issues associated with collecting information about experiences of migration including the role of the arts in understanding and representing ‘the migrant experience’. - To address the relationship between research intended to better understand ‘the migrant experience’ and the types and sources of ‘evidence’ that might be drawn upon in policy-making processes.

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To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

b) Project Changes

Please describe any changes made to the original aims and objectives, and confirm that these were agreed with the ESRC. Please also detail any changes to the grant holder’s institutional affiliation, project staffing or funding. [Max 200 words] The start and end for this project were changed due to the personal circumstances of the PI. The original start and end dates were 1st October 2008 to 20th September 2010. These were revised to 1st March 2009 and 28th February 2011 respectively. These changes were agreed with the ESRC. There were no changes made to the original aims and objectives.

c) Methodology

Please describe the methodology that you employed in the project. Please also note any ethical issues that arose during the course of the work, the effects of this and any action taken. [Max. 500 words] The Research Seminar Series consisted of six one-day events which were held at Swansea University in 2009-10. Seminar themes included ‘Is there a ‘migrant experience?’ (April 2009), ‘Understanding difference; the role of gender, age, class and race in shaping ‘the migrant experience’ (July 2009), Methodological issues in capturing and understanding experiences of migration’ (October 2009), ‘The role of the arts in understanding experiences of migration’ (February 2010), ‘Who tells the story? The politics of ‘the migrant voice’ (July 2010) and Who hears the story? Translating the migrant experience into policy and practice (November 2010). The Series brought together academic and policy researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, including human/social geography, politics, sociology, economics, cultural studies and public policy with participants from a range of governmental and the third sector organisations including IOM, Home Office, Welsh Assembly Government, Voluntary Services Overseas, SOVA Cymru, Evangelical Alliance Wales, Bridging Arts, Negus Media, FOMACS, PICUM, Virtual Migrants, Welsh Refugee Council, Wales Strategic Migration Partnership, Swansea Bay and South East Wales Race Equality Councils. Participation in the Seminars was initially by invitation, drawing on the PI’s existing networks, and as the series developed through a form of ‘reputational snowballing’ and recommendation from participants in the Series. Two of the seminars (5 and 6) were organised jointly with other organisations, the Migrant Rights Network (MRN) and Institution for Public Policy Research (IPPR) to ensure maximum participation and impact. More than 30 high quality speakers from a wide range backgrounds contributed to the Seminar Series including Zrinka Bralo (Migrant and Refugee Community Network), Professor Eleonore Kofman (Middlesex University), Professor Ann Whitehead (Sussex University), Professor Floya Anthias (Roehampton University), Prof Adrian Bailey (Leeds), Dr Nick Mai (London Metropolitan), Dr Nando Sigona (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford), Dr Maggie O’Neill (University of Durham), Susan Roberts (Bridging Arts), Kooj (Kuljit) Chuhan (Digital artist/film maker and founder of Virtual Migrants), Dr Áine O’Brien, (FOMACS), Maryam Pasha (Migrant Rights Network) Nazek Ramadan (Migrant Voice), Dr Ann Singleton (Bristol University), Chris Attwood (UK Border Agency, Home Office), Dr Bridget Anderson (COMPAS, University of Oxford), Professor Julia O’Connell Davidson (University of Nottingham), Eve Geddie (Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants, Brussels) and Tim Finch, (Institute for Public Policy Research). Detailed programmes for each seminar including details of all the speakers are available at http://www.swansea.ac.uk/cmpr/events/seminars A key feature of the Series was the involvement of early career researchers and of migrants themselves. Thirty travel bursaries were made available to postgraduate researchers to enable them to participate in the Seminars. Thirty travel bursaries were also made available to individuals from migrant backgrounds. Many came in a personal capacity, others represented migrant and refugee community organisations 3

To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

including the Migrants and Refugee Community Network, Wolverhampton Refugee and Migrant Centre, African Community Centre, Zimbabwe Action Group, Somali Community in Swansea, African Swahili Community Project and South People’s Project. The involvement and contribution to the Series made by both early career researchers and migrants themselves had a highly beneficial impact on the quality and depth of discussion.

d) Project Findings

Please summarise the findings of the project, referring where appropriate to outputs recorded on the ESRC website. Any future research plans should also be identified. [Max 500 words] Following each of the seminars a briefing paper was produced summarising the discussion and providing an easily accessible account of the key points made by the speakers and discussants. The briefing papers have been circulated to academic and non-academic user communities through our own and other networks. They have also been made available on our website http://www.swansea.ac.uk/cmpr/events/seminars) and highlighted in our electronic newsletter (http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/Newsletter-july-master-HC.pdf). One of the key themes to emerge from the Seminar Series Key findings is that there is often a disconnect between the lived experiences of migrants and dominant narratives and discourses. Migrants have multiple identities which intersect in different ways: at different points in time and space one aspect of identity can become more (or less) important than another in shaping ‘the migrant experience’. How we understand ‘the migrant experience’ depends partly on our entry point but also on who is telling the story of the migrant experience and for what purpose or ends. Migrants are most commonly presented as victims or oppressed but there is also a story (less often heard) of the migrant as a political activist or an individual with rights. The question of which of these represents the ‘authentic voice’ of the migrant – and how it can best be accessed - remains contested and changes over space and time. The Seminars were very well attended and several were over-subscribed. There were a total of 192 participants across the series from a wide range of organisations and backgrounds. The Seminars were lively and engaged events and participants very much appreciated the opportunity to step back from their ‘day-to-day’ engagement with ‘the migrant experience’ and to think about these issues from a broader (and often different) perspective. Although we did not collect formal feedback, many participants wrote to express their appreciation for being provided with the opportunity to meet with people with whom they would not ordinarily into contact: “It was a real pleasure to come to the seminar, so many thanks for asking me to participate. I do hope your other participants got something from what I said. I certainly did by hearing the other presentations. I was amazed how many of the perspectives from the present day resonated with the work I’m doing, and I took back a lot from the day’s proceedings – far more than I expected to” (policy maker) “Your seminar was very well organised and, frankly, one of the more enjoyable and productive academic events I have attended in years. I think your summaries and energy had a lot to do with that, plus the good selection of invitees” (academic) “I wanted to thank you so much for including me in the fabulous day we had today. I had an amazing time! Your hospitality was so warm and generous and the whole event was just a delight from start to finish. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” (practitioner)

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To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

e) Contributions to wider ESRC initiatives (eg Research Programmes or Networks)

If your project was part of a wider ESRC initiative, please describe your contributions to the initiative’s objectives and activities and note any effect on your project resulting from participation. [Max. 200 words] Not applicable

3. EARLY AND ANTICIPATED IMPACTS a) Summary of Impacts to date

Please summarise any impacts of the project to date, referring where appropriate to associated outputs recorded on the ESRC website. This should include both scientific impacts (relevant to the academic community) and economic and societal impacts (relevant to broader society). The impact can be relevant to any organisation, community or individual. [Max. 400 words] The Research Seminar Series was relevant and timely. Asylum and migration issues are high on political and policy agendas and there is a growing interest in ensuring that policy approaches are evidence-based. At the same time there is increasing interest among migrant organisations and communities in engaging with research processes in ways that do not simply replicate existing assumptions about ‘the migrant experience’ but enable them to shape research agendas and engage with political and policy processes in a meaningful way. The Seminar Series was able to tap into this interest in a highly original and innovative way by bringing together academic and non-academic users of research with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. We drew upon our existing relations with the Home Office, , Welsh Assembly Government and voluntary sector organisations, as well as our partnerships with the Institute for Public Policy Research and Migrant Rights Network to secure the participation of research users. Although it is difficult to assess the potential impacts of this approach for both academic and nonacademic users of research, it is our experience that bringing together different groups in the (relatively) neutral setting of a research seminar is beneficial to all. It provides non-academic users of research with an opportunity to ‘step back’ from the day-to-day demands of service delivery, advocacy and policy formulation, and academic researchers will an opportunity to gain insights into the realities of life and practice ‘on the ground’ for practitioners, policy makers and migrants themselves. A number of activities have arisen directly as a result of the Research Seminar Series. These include: -

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A Film Seminar Series held by CMPR during 2010 during which three films were screened at the Taliesin Arts Centre followed by a lively public discussion of the issues raised A series of events and seminars held as part of Refugee Week 2010 A new MA in Global Migration have been developed at Swansea University. The scheme will commence in October 2011 and includes a module on ‘Understanding the Migrant Experience’ which draws directly on the discussion that took place during the Seminar Series. Some of the Seminar speakers will be invited to contribute to this module. The PI has become an external examiner for UEL’s MA in Refugee Studies and there is now teaching collaboration between the two research institutes, particularly in relation to methodological issues associated with researching ‘the migrant experience’

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To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

b) Anticipated/Potential Future Impacts

Please outline any anticipated or potential impacts (scientific or economic and societal) that you believe your project might have in future. [Max. 200 words] In addition to the impacts outlined above, there are a number of activities underway that seem likely to increase the long-term impact of the Research Seminar Series. A number of research synergies were formed during the course of the Series and CMPR is currently developing a collaborative proposal for research exploring public attitudes towards ‘the migrant experience’ with the artist. Ricky Romain for submission to the AHRC. A project advisory group will be established largely comprising speakers from the Seminar Series who now have a shared understanding of the issues which are the focus of the research.. In response to significant demand from postgraduate researchers working on migration issues, we are also in the process of developing proposals for a postgraduate research conference (to be held in 2012) entitled ‘Understanding the Migrant Experience’ which will show case new and emergent research in this area. Finally we are currently seeking a publisher for a collection of the papers which were presented during the Research Seminar Series to enable us to draw out some of the themes and issues which were explored in more detail. You will be asked to complete an ESRC Impact Report 12 months after the end date of your award. The Impact Report will ask for details of any impacts that have arisen since the completion of the End of Award Report.

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To cite this output: Crawley, H, (2011) Understanding the Migrant Experience ESRC End of Award Report, RES-451-26-0596. Swindon: ESRC

4. DECLARATIONS

Please ensure that sections A, B and C below are completed and signed by the appropriate individuals. The End of Award Report will not be accepted unless all sections are signed. Please note hard copies are NOT required; electronic signatures are accepted and should be used.

A: To be completed by Grant Holder Please read the following statements. Tick ONE statement under ii) and iii), then sign with an electronic signature at the end of the section (this should be a image of your actual signature). i) The Project This Report is an accurate overview of the project, its findings and impacts. All co-investigators named in the proposal to ESRC or appointed subsequently have seen and approved the Report.

X

ii) Submissions to the ESRC website (research catalogue) Output and impact information has been submitted to the ESRC website. Details of any future outputs and impacts will be submitted as soon as they become available.

OR

This grant has not yet produced any outputs or impacts. Details of any future outputs and impacts will be submitted to the ESRC website as soon as they become available.

OR

This grant is not listed on the ESRC website.

iii) Submission of Datasets Datasets arising from this grant have been offered for deposit with the Economic and Social Data Service.

OR

Datasets that were anticipated in the grant proposal have not been produced and the Economic and Social Data Service has been notified.

OR

No datasets were proposed or produced from this grant. X

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