• Dr Lena Opfermann - Covenor
• Dr Helen Connolly - Convenor
• Ashahul Ali
• Dr Nasreen Ali
• Dr Silvia Borelli
• Fiona Cameron
• Dr Angel Chater
• Dr Chihiro Inoue
• Dr Nahal Khabbazbashi
• Professor Ravi Kohli
• Dr Christina Schwabenland
• Professor Jon Silverman
• Claudia Zugno

The FMRC is committed to engaging in current research surrounding the issues of migration and human displacement across all areas of the University.

A selection of our recent activities

• Creating Stable Futures: Improving Outcomes for Children Affected by Trafficking. (Professor Patricia Hynes, Dr Helen Connolly and ECPAT UK)
  
  
• Without My Family: The Impact of Family Separation on Child Refugees in the UK (Dr Helen Connolly for Amnesty International, Refugee Council and Save the Children)
  
  
• The Needs of London's Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. (Dr Helen Connolly, University of Bedfordshire. Ilona Pinter, London School of Economics and Maya Pritchard, South London Refugee Association).
  
  
• The NordForsk Project (Professor Ravi Kohli, Catrin Evans)
  
  
• Drawing Together Project (Professor Ravi Kohli, Catrin Evans)
  
  
• 'Vulnerability' to Human Trafficking: A Study of Vietnam, Albania, Nigeria and the UK (Dr Patricia Hynes)
  
  
• Families Together Research Project (Dr Silvia Borelli, Dr Elena Gualco)
  
  
• Shared Learning and Understanding the Contexts for Human Trafficking from Albania, Viet Nam and Nigeria to the UK (Dr Patricia Hynes)

• Hynes, P. (September 2020),Vulnerability to Human Trafficking and a Framework for Anti-Trafficking Action,Delta 8.7 Knowledge Platform, United Nations University Centre for Policy Research to Alliance 8.7, New York. View at: delta87.org/2020/09/vulnerability-human-trafficking-framework-anti-trafficking-action

• Wroe, L (2020) Asylum for Sale: Profit and Protest in the Migration Industry
  A new book that explores how immigrants' pathways to refuge are increasingly shaped by neoliberal capitalism. The volume features activists, academics, artists, journalists and writers with firsthand experience of asylum processes and has been hailed by Naomi Klein as "an unparalleled resource". Accessible and engaging, Asylum for Sale is a must-read for anyone interested in current immigration issues. Available to pre-order now at www.pmpress.org/asylum - also available: discount codes [PDF]

• Wroe, L., Larkin, R. & Maglajlic, R. A. (2019). Social Work with Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants: Theory and Skills for Practice. Jessica Kingsley. Available via: www.jkp.com/uk/social-work-with-refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants.html
  
  
• Silverman, J. (2018) Mediating Identity: The West African Diaspora, Conflict and Communication, Journal of Migration & Culture, Vol.9, No.1, p.91-106 [pdf link]

From press releases to podcasts, the FMRC makes a proactive effort to raise awareness about human displacement and forced migration in the wider media.

Perfect Storm of Vulnerability Risks Leads People into Human Trafficking, New Study Finds

26 March, 2019

Vulnerability to human trafficking and modern slavery is influenced by overlapping and interconnected risk factors which cut across individual, household, family, community and structural dynamics, according to a new study. Read press article

Becoming a slave: who's vulnerable to being trafficked? (podcast)

19 February, 2019

Dr Patricia Hynes from the University of Bedfordshire and Patrick Burland, Senior Project Officer for Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery for the UN Migration Agency (IOM) discuss their research which looks to improve understanding of the causes, determinants and ‘vulnerabilities’ to human trafficking as well as the support needs of people from countries who have experienced trafficking into the UK. Read more and listen to podcast

Social Workers Without Borders wins Social Work of the Year Award for Championing Social Work Values

30 November, 2018

Dr Lauren Wroe from the University of Bedfordshire is a Steering Group member and Trustee of Social Workers without Borders, who were the 2018 winners of the Social Work of the Year Awards category, "Championing Social Work Values".Read about the 2018 awards here

Bedfordshire awarded funding to look into causes of human trafficking and how to support victims

29 September, 2017

The University of Bedfordshire has been awarded a grant to research why human trafficking occurs and how we can better support those who have been trafficked into the UK. Read press article

Social Sciences expert highlights plight of refugees at Glastonbury 2017

10 July, 2017

A lecturer in Applied Social Sciences from the University of Bedfordshire took to the fields of Glastonbury to highlight the plight of the world’s refugees. Read press article

• RLAP (Refugee Legal Assistance Project)

Christina Schwabenland is currently researching social enterprises and income generating activities, primarily involving catering and food production established by women’s organisations in Palestinian refugee camps. She has carried out field work in Lebanon and Palestine. Her interests centre on the multiple ways in which these activities can be understood, as carriers of political, cultural and social meanings, and as acts of resistance and solidarity.

Conference papers

• Schwabenland, C. and Hirst, A. (2019b) ‘Cooking with ghosts’ Standing Conference on Organisational Symbolism (SCOS) York
• Schwabenland, C. and Hirst, A. (2019a) ‘Cookbooks with attitude: The entangling of food, aesthetics and activism’ International Critical Management Studies Conference Milton Keynes
• Schwabenland, C. (2018b) ‘Food as art and organization’ Arts and Management in Organization Brighton
• Schwabenland, C. and Hirst, A. (2018) ‘Soufra: A case study of a women’s social enterprise’ International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) Amsterdam
• Schwabenland, C. (2018) ‘Resilience, resistance and recipes’ Gender, Work and Organization Sydney
• Schwabenland, C. (2017a) ‘Introductory attempts at analysing Palestinian women’s organisations through a hermeneutic lens’ Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism (SCOS) Rome