Who are we? – the Consortium

The consortium consists of renowned universities and institutes from a wide variety of source, transit and destination countries for studying mass migration in line with the topic of the Call. Given the disciplinary background and composition of participant research teams, the consortium stands out for:

• its multidisciplinary nature, with researchers from political science, sociology, psychology of religion, anthropology, law and geography, including two independent research institutes and a human rights organization. The multidisciplinary characteristic of the consortium will allow for the comprehensive analysis of migration governance, policy-making and implementation processes, impacts and responses at macro, meso and micro levels.
• the involved researchers’ unique and specific skills in social science research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, comparative research, prescriptive and normative policy analysis. All participants involved in this project have long experience with different aspects of migration studies, they complement each other in the fields in which they work, and they are able to develop an interdisciplinary approach and bring together a diversity of knowledge to improve the project.

The consortium members lean on their experience and specific expertise in the topic, and are part of broad networks of scholars and other stakeholders who are working in this and similar fields – this is essential to the realisation of the project activities and to the dissemination of the results. The consortium is a mix of senior and junior researchers, experienced scholars and newcomers and includes a large number of female scholars (9 female Principal Investigators) and multilingual scholars, with their own experiences of migration.

THE COORDINATOR – UPPSALA UNIVERSITY

RESPOND is hosted at the Uppsala Religion and Society Research Centre (CRS), an interdisciplinary research Centre at the Department of Theology, focusing on processes of religious and social change. This multi-faceted and comprehensive research environment provides a vibrant and stimulating milieu for RESPOND. Furthermore, the project also benefits from the recently established Center for Multidisciplinary Research on Racism (CEMFOR), which will closely tie to the Uppsala Religion and Society Research Centre.

RESPOND has direct access to CRS’ operational capacity and profound experience in managing large and complex research projects. Thus, facilities such as financial and other management, dissemination of results to a broad range of audiences, and hosting international researchers, will be efficiently and professionally provided for. In addition, the Faculty of Theology, to which CRS is affiliated, runs four master programs of relevance to RESPOND; 1) “Euroculture” focussing on European integration; 2) “International Humanitarian Action” (NOHA), focussing on emergency and disaster relief; 3) “Religion in Peace and Conflict” focussing on religiously and ethically grounded engagement, and; 4) “Human Rights” focussing on ways in which human rights can be interpreted, developed and implemented in society.

RESPOND PARTNERS