5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

This session invites submissions that investigate the role of pre-migration characteristics—such as socioeconomic status, educational attainment, cultural practices, and institutional exposure—in determining health outcomes after migration. Papers employing various methodological approaches, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods, are encouraged. Research addressing different aspects of health, such as physical, mental, and social well-being, is particularly welcome.

This session expects empirical findings linking pre-migration conditions with post-migration health outcomes while exploring the mechanisms through which early-life experiences influence health across the lifespan. Research should ideally highlight policy implications and propose interventions aimed at promoting health equity among immigrant populations, while fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration among researchers studying immigrant health from a life course perspective.

The session aims to generate a deeper sociological understanding of the long-term health disparities faced by immigrant populations. By integrating insights from diverse studies, it seeks to identify critical points of intervention that can mitigate adverse health outcomes. The session is expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of immigrants’ health, bringing a life course perspective into the understanding of how immigrants’ health is shaped beyond the event of migration itself and the characteristics of the host country.