Population Research Discovery Seminars
Centering Migration Research to Cultivate Knowledge, Creativity and Community: Lessons from the Summer Institute for Migration Research Methods
Irene Bloemraad, Sociology, University of British Columbia
Jenny Van Hook, Sociology & Criminology, Penn State University
Parrington Hall Room 360
To Join By Zoom: Register HERE
Follow this link to sign up for a 1:1 meeting with Dr. Blooemraad & Dr. Van Hook during their visit on January 17th
01/17/2025
12:30-1:30 PM PT
360 Parrington Hall
Co-Sponsor(s):
How do we nurture a creative, vibrant and skilled new generation of researchers? And how do we accomplish this while also plugging the “leaky” pipeline that sees a disproportionate number of women and people of color leave academia across the educational trajectory?[1] We draw on our time organizing and running the Summer Institute for Migration Research Methods (2018-2024) to share our experiences. We found that centering migration research as the core topic of the Institute avoided disciplinary and methodological silos. The Institute was deeply interdisciplinary and capacious in valuing a range of data and methods. Having migration research as the focus allowed participants to build real breadth in their knowledge, and also stretch their creativity and create a sense of community. Participants learned skills, they practiced research design, they engaged in frank conversations about navigating research careers, and they found social support for their work and struggles. We will provide an overview of the Summer Institute and lessons learned.
Irene Bloemraad holds the President’s Excellence Chair in Global Migration at the University of British Columbia and is a professor of Political Science and Sociology. She also co-directs the UBC Centre for Migration Studies and the Boundaries, Membership and Belonging program of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Bloemraad studies how migrants become incorporated into the political communities where they live, and the consequences of migration for politics and national membership. Her research has been published in journals spanning sociology, political science, history, and ethnic/ migration studies; she has authored or co-edited five books on citizenship, immigrant protest, and civic organizations. Prior to her appointment at UBC in July 2024, Bloemraad spent two decades at the University of California, Berkeley, where she held the Class of 1951 Chair in Sociology, the Thomas Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies, and founded the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative. From 2018 to 2024, Bloemraad co-organized the Summer Institute for Migration Research Methods with Dr. Jennifer Van Hook.