Researching Migration: Reflections on Ethics and Practice 

Masterclass for PhD students with Dr. Ċetta Mainwaring, University of Glasgow.

In this class, we will explore the challenges and opportunities of engaging, as researchers and (possible) activists, in the field of migration. Collectively, we will think through how we conduct research in this extremely politicised area. What does ‘doing no harm’ look like in migration research? What other principles should we be upholding in our research? For example, how do we represent our interlocuters in the field? What does it mean to ‘give voice’? How do we reciprocate? Finally, how do different methodologies intersect with these principles? 

Beyond specific challenges in the field and in our research, we will also discuss how we may mobilise our expertise in different ways, within and outside academia. Do we have a duty to engage with audiences outside of academia? What possibilities are there for engaging with different audiences? What are the tensions that exist between academic and activist work (understood in a broad sense)? 

If you would like to attend the masterclass, please contact Migration Research at migrationresearch@sheffield.ac.uk.