The Standing Committee (SC) aims to contribute to the 18th IMISCOE Annual Conference ‘Crossing borders, connecting cultures’, with themed panel sessions highlighting:
- methodological challenges of doing research during the COVID-19 pandemics, and, related but not limited to this
- research methods designed to study inequalities and marginalisation. We invite contributions from a wide range of methodological approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods, provided they focus on methodological issues.
As we live through and adjust to the COVID-19 context, the Meth@Mig SC aims to provide a forum for methodological reflections on how the pandemic has affected the ways in which we do research. Some scholars conducting online research discovered how their informants grew tired with a heightened online presence during the pandemic, while others found response rates to be boosted. Health-related vulnerabilities came to light, on the side of the respondents and researchers. While some researchers had to stop or postpone fieldwork, others switched from face-to-face to the Internet-mediated research. The panel will provide a space of exchange on COVID-related methodological issues that researchers have faced in recent months. The presentations will address the various challenges related to doing research on migrations, mobilities, and integration during the pandemic.
The pandemic has also exacerbated social inequalities in many ways. Overcrowded housing and the inability to respect stay-at-home orders due to pressing economic needs contribute to the heightened risk of acquiring the virus. Government-mandated lockdowns affect workers in the commerce, tourism, and hospitality industries disproportionally. Employees without a formal contract are not eligible for furlough schemes and other support programmes. While the wealthy might seize the pandemic as an investment opportunity, those lacking even minimal savings face hardship as soon as accustomed sources of income vanish. These and other COVID-related vulnerabilities can apply to migrant populations to a far greater extent than to most natives. We are interested in reports and methodological reflections on how best to study social inequalities and marginalisation processes, regardless of whether or not they bear direct relation with the pandemic.
In addition to these two themed panels we also welcome more general proposals on other methodological issues affecting migration, mobilities and integration research, which we will gather in one or several additional sessions.
We invite contributions by scholars engaged in migration research irrespective of their disciplinary background and career stages. We furthermore strive to provide a forum for discussion between colleagues from various geographical locations.
Please use the 18th IMISCOE Annual Conference’s internet portal (https://www.imiscoe.org/events/imiscoe-events/925-18th-imiscoe-annual-conference-luxembourg-july-7-9-2021) to submit an abstract of your contribution (up to 250 words) by December 1st, 2020 (deadline). To be eligible for Meth@Mig’s panels, make sure to select the “SC Methodological Approaches and Tools in Migration Research“ in the “Standing Committee / Research Initiative”-section and “Theories, concepts and methods in migration research” under “Related Conference Topic” when uploading your abstract.
If you have any questions regarding this call, please do not hesitate to contact Justyna Salamońska at
- Please be aware that papers submitted to Methodological Approaches and Tools in Migration Research SC sessions must have a clear focus on research methods. Substantive issues might be discussed, but should not constitute the main content of the contribution.