Third ISA Forum of Sociology (July 10-14, 2016)

360

Futures of Migration Research: Methodological Innovations and ‘Post-Migrant’ Societies

RC31 Sociology of Migration (host committee)

Language: English

This session explores potentials of methodological innovations in migration research. This interests us from the perspective of the discussion on the shortcomings of methodological national and ethnic groupism. The research on hybrid identities, multi-language families, and “third culture children” demonstrates the importance of “spaces-in-between” ethnic categories. The current interest in urban settings as sites of encounters between new, long-settled migrants and (native) residents goes hand in hand with the exploration of how the categories of migrants and non-migrants are blurred. We know that multiple migrations are strategies for a better future used by mobile professionals and the poorest migrants in Global South.
Not only the existing conceptual toolset but also the methodological instruments are insufficient to adequately capture these phenomena. Furthermore, migration-status becomes increasingly contested in places affected by immigration-driven diversification of population. Transnational, commuting migration increases the inadequacy of this status. This finds expression in artistic and social movements which claim the new era of “post-migrant societies”. The shift from interest in migrants as (non)members of ethnic communities towards the research of “post-migrant” societies requires us to consider how we collect and analyze data on migrants’ movements and migrants’ incorporation.
We invite contributions that reflect upon the potentials of application of various methods, that might include and are not limited to participatory research, visual methods, longitudinal qualitative and quantitative studies (including social network analyses), transnational research designs, and transdisciplinary methods. Posters: