First PolMig Newsletter

At a time where anti-migrant backlash is pervasive in the new world order, we were surprised, relieved and delighted to receive funding for this large-scale project, which explicitly forefronts migrant voices and centres experiences from Africa. No, not African migrants going to Europe, but those refugees and migrants moving within and to Africa. Our work, outputs and discussions will be centred in Africa, research sites will be in Malawi, Kenya, Liberia and Ghana. With the ERC-funding line based on scientific excellence and innovation, PolMig will allow us to shift conceptual and theoretical boundaries. The project also holds the potential to change the conversation on how refugees and other migrants can better live with host communities. From an unexpected high volume of excellent applicants, the PolMig team is now ready to start with post-doctoral researchers Jamila Hamidu and Edwin Mutyenyoka as well as PhD student Sophia Stille. You will have the chance to get to know them and their work over the next four years.

One of the reasons that the PolMig project was so well liked by the reviewers was the use of innovative research methods. Alongside more common methodological approaches, PolMig will use participatory research methods including theatre workshops with migrant and host communities, as well as migrant agency diaries that will record the very experiences of refugees and migrants. To make sure we are using these “high-risk high-gain” research methods in the best possible way, in particular making sure to address all ethical and methodological concerns, we will conduct a methodology workshop in November with some leading experts in arts-based participatory research methods. We look forward to learning from this, and re-visiting the insights we gain after our first fieldwork phase in spring 2026.

So that you can get to know us better, in each newsletter one of the PolMig team members will introduce themselves and answer a short scientifically significant questionnaire ;)

Hello! My name is Sophia, and I am excited to be joining the PolMig project as a PhD researcher. I hold a BA in International Relations from the University of Groningen and a MA in Migration Studies from the University of Copenhagen. I worked in different research capacities before becoming part of the PolMig project. I see it as a real privilege – it allows me to meet and work together with inspiring people and advance knowledge on topics in migration studies that have long fascinated me, such as the role of migrant agency, categorisation of and by migrants and the interrelation of processes of belonging/othering analysed through an intersectional lens. I look forward to the journey ahead, and to completing my PhD over the course of this project. Feel free to reach out if our interests overlap, I’d be happy to connect!

Question Time:

1. Early bird or night owl? Early bird (not before 8am though)
2. Fieldwork or deskwork? Will be able to answer that at the end of the project :)
3. Clean desk or organized chaos? Clean Desk
4. One tab open or 47 and counting? 47 open - never counting
5. “Let’s try it” or “Let’s plan it”? Let's plan it

We look forward to introducing the rest of the team in future issues.