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irisbirmingham.bsky.social
IRIS
@irisbirmingham.bsky.social
960 followers 390 following 70 posts
The Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham, UK. Director: Prof @nandosigona.bsky.social
web: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/iris
blog: https://superdiversity.net
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irisbirmingham.bsky.social
IRIS @irisbirmingham.bsky.social · 17d
A (research) year-in-review thread from IRIS @unibirmingham.bsky.social
We asked our researchers to pick one of their publications from 2025 and share why it stands out for them.
Here's what they replied!
#migration
#refugees
#socialsciences
#diversity
#research
irisbirmingham.bsky.social
Need some help to understand what's going on in Trump's America? Listen to the #MAGA & #migration #podcast series hosted by @michaelacbenson.bsky.social & @nandosigona.bsky.social
nandosigona.bsky.social Nando Sigona @nandosigona.bsky.social · 11d
The final episode of #MAGA & #migration #podcast series dropped last week:
whodowethinkweare.org/podcasts/who...

@michaelacbenson.bsky.social & I reflect back on our conversations with 4 excellent guests: Cecilia Menjívar; Rachel Humphris, Ernesto Castañeda and Heba Gowayed

Brief recap🧵
S4 E5 The pace of change: MAGA, the US, the UK
Who Do We Think We Are?
whodowethinkweare.org
December 22, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Reposted by IRIS
irisbirmingham.bsky.social
A (research) year-in-review thread from IRIS @unibirmingham.bsky.social
We asked our researchers to pick one of their publications from 2025 and share why it stands out for them.
Here's what they replied!
#migration
#refugees
#socialsciences
#diversity
#research
December 16, 2025 at 10:02 AM
irisbirmingham.bsky.social
A (research) year-in-review thread from IRIS @unibirmingham.bsky.social
We asked our researchers to pick one of their publications from 2025 and share why it stands out for them.
Here's what they replied!
#migration
#refugees
#socialsciences
#diversity
#research
December 16, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
What's the link between #freespeech, #bordering, and Trump's #MAGA project?

@michaelacbenson.bsky.social & I address this question in the latest episode of #whodowethinkweare #podcast with a special guest: Dr @hebagowayed.bsky.social

Listen, share, follow: whodowethinkweare.org/podcasts/who...
S4 E4 Free speech for whom?
Who Do We Think We Are?
whodowethinkweare.org
December 15, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
We want global talents (but only if they are rich).
nandosigona.info/2025/12/08/w...
We want global talents (but only if they are rich)
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham Last week’s intervention by a leading UK scientist over the prohibitive cost of visas raised an uncomfortable truth: Britain’s migration system is not — or is…
nandosigona.info
December 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by IRIS
iclaimeu.bsky.social
Strong opinions and wrong facts - new report reveals public understanding and attitudes to #irregularmigration in the UK #mustread
December 11, 2025 at 8:04 AM
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nandosigona.bsky.social
What do Britons know and think about #irregularmigration?
Read new @iclaimeu.bsky.social report out today

i-claim.eu/project/publ...
Public understanding and attitudes to irregular migration in the UK - I-CLAIM
This report summarises findings from the February 2025 I-CLAIM survey of 1,147 UK adults, exploring public knowledge of irregular migration, how people define it, and their attitudes toward irregular ...
i-claim.eu
December 11, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
We say we want “global talent,” but what if our visa system only welcomes the wealthy?

Read more 👇

nandosigona.info/2025/12/08/w...

#globaltalent #visa #migration #Labour
We want global talents (but only if they are rich)
Nando Sigona, University of Birmingham Last week’s intervention by a leading UK scientist over the prohibitive cost of visas raised an uncomfortable truth: Britain’s migration system is not — or is…
nandosigona.info
December 9, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
#Labour is nowhere near—even remotely—the idea of building a more just and equal society (sorry, so old-fashioned) if it continues to pursue policies that actively position migrant workers as inferior in the very scaffolding of the labour market.

#migration
December 5, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Useful reminder:
1) Migrant scientists already contribute to the NHS with their taxes like everyone. Abolish NHS supercharge!
2) why are only rich scientists welcome in the UK? What has wealth to do with science?

Colonial mentality is strong & alive

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Top UK scientist says research visa restrictions endanger economy
Prof Sir Paul Nurse says the UK is "shooting itself in the foot" with its visa system for researchers.
www.bbc.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
In the latest episode of Mobility, Work & Rights, @ilsevanliempt.bsky.social & I speak to three international experts on #migrantdomesticwork:
- Bridget Anderson @mmbuob.bsky.social
- Rhacel Parreñas @rhacel.bsky.social
- Sabrina Marchetti
Listen & follow: open.spotify.com/episode/5NjS...
December 4, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Join us for next @irisbirmingham.bsky.social public seminar!
The Shape of Belonging for Unaccompanied Young People, Fri, Dec 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM | Eventbrite share.google/kc3mtGhQOXhl...
The Shape of Belonging for Unaccompanied Young People
Özlem Ögtem-Young discusses her new book on belonging for young migrants with Elaine Chase (UCL)
share.google
December 1, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Who cares? Migrant domestic workers and the cost of care
New episode of Mobility, Work and Rights #podcast
ft. Bridget Anderson @mmbuob.bsky.social, Rhacel Parrenas @rhacel.bsky.social, and Sabrina Marchetti
Hosts: @ilsevanliempt.bsky.social & me.

Listen & Follow: open.spotify.com/episode/5NjS...
Who Cares? Migrant Domestic Workers and the Cost of Care
open.spotify.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Spoke to Greek newspaper @tovimagr.bsky.social about #UK asylum and immigration proposals and how they may impact non-citizens already in the UK
tovima.com/world/reforms-will-make-peoples-lives-miserable-academic-warns-as-uk-moves-toward-new-asylum-model/
Reforms Will ‘Make People's Lives Miserable’, Academic Warns, as UK Moves Toward New Asylum Model - tovima.com
Asylum debate shifts to the right – asylum seekers and refugees are being labelled as criminals
tovima.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:28 AM
irisbirmingham.bsky.social
People to follow in #migrationstudies
go.bsky.app/FQmTcRZ
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by IRIS
iclaimeu.bsky.social
Stay tuned! The new episode of Mobility, Work and Rights podcast is out next week!
We have amazing guests joining our hosts: @ilsevanliempt.bsky.social and @nandosigona.bsky.social to talk about migrant domestic work.
Nando talks to professor Bridget Anderson, director of @mmbuob.bsky.social.
November 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
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nandosigona.bsky.social
Asylum is not "illegal migration"
Let's start from here theconversation.com/asylum-is-no...
Asylum is not illegal migration – why the UK government shouldn’t conflate the two
The new proposals transform settlement into something that must be continually earned. The path has become longer, more conditional and far more easily disrupted.
theconversation.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
What if the very policies designed to prevent irregularity are the ones that keep producing it?

I try to answer these questions in this piece for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social drawing on this recently published @iclaimeu.bsky.social concept paper i-claim.eu/irregular-mi...
Irregular migration as an assemblage - I-CLAIM
Rethinking irregular migration: a new I-CLAIM paper questions the categories, narratives, and policies that sustain ‘irregularity’.
i-claim.eu
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Across Europe, politicians promise to “stop illegal migration” as if it were a problem that comes from the outside.

What if irregular migration is not something that happens despite the system, but because of it?

#EUmigration #ShabanaMahmood

politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-eur...
How Europe’s Migration Rules Keep Creating the “Irregular Migrants” They Claim to Catch
What if irregular migration is not something that happens despite the system, but because of it?
politicalquarterly.org.uk
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by IRIS
iclaimeu.bsky.social
#mustread by @nandosigona.bsky.social on @politicalquarterly.bsky.social drawing on the recently published concept paper on #irregularityassemblage
politicalquarterly.bsky.social Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · Nov 18
As Labour's hardline stance on immigration dominates the headlines, a Professor of International Migration asks: What if irregular migration is not something that happens despite the system, but because of it?

By @nandosigona.bsky.social

Read now: politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-eur...
How Europe’s Migration Rules Keep Creating the “Irregular Migrants” They Claim to Catch
What if irregular migration is not something that happens despite the system, but because of it?
politicalquarterly.org.uk
November 18, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
#Asylum is not #illegalmigration — So why is the UK Government treating it as such? nandosigona.info/2025/11/18/a...
Asylum is not illegal migration — So why is the UK Government treating it as such?
Nando Sigona The premise driving the government’s latest proposals on asylum is fundamentally wrong.Asylum is not illegal migration. Yet the policy architecture being rolled out treats it as such, …
nandosigona.info
November 18, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Our @iclaimeu.bsky.social report on the living and working conditions of food delivery migrant workers is featured in this excellent piece by Diane Taylor
for @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Life as a food delivery worker: ‘Sometimes men open the door naked’
To earn a living as a delivery rider, some work 10-12 hour days, contending with low pay, exhaustion, accidents, injuries and harassment. Is this a new form of modern slavery?
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
Tomorrow we are presenting some of the findings from the @iclaimeu.bsky.social at a policy workshop hosted by @ceps.eu, in collaboration with our partners @enareurope.bsky.social & @etuc-ces.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?si=y4W...
About I CLAIM
YouTube video by I-CLAIM
www.youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
You can find our new report here: nandosigona.info/2025/10/31/i...
Irregular migration as an assemblage: New IRIS Working paper unpacks how “irregularity” is made in Europe
Written by Nando Sigona (University of Birmingham) and Ilse van Liempt (Utrecht University), The irregularisation of migration and migrants’ irregular condition: an assemblage perspective draws on …
nandosigona.info
November 3, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by IRIS
nandosigona.bsky.social
New @iclaimeu.bsky.social report by @ilsevanliempt.bsky.social and myself on the irregularisation of #migration in Europe and why we need to rethink how we think, talk and address the issue
November 3, 2025 at 10:58 AM