Return and belonging (Re-Mig)

In the previous Trajectories of Reintegration project, we encountered the following contradiction: Peacebuilding and political actors working on return policy rarely take into account the experiences of people going through a return process. The recently launched RE-MIG project will explore these experiences and argue for their inclusion in policy-making.

RE-MIG empirically studies the role and meaning that displaced people and returnees attach to the notion of return, how they relate to people at ‘home’ and where they live, and how their aspirations and hopes for the future shape their lives. We also explore the role of identity and the social boundaries that are drawn and re-drawn during violent conflict, political transitions and (re)migration. By disseminating our findings to political decision-makers and practitioners, we hope to contribute to more informed and inclusive policymaking on displaced people and their (potential) return.

Using a qualitative and multi-sited research design, our study will draw on extensive field research in eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Western Balkans. Outputs will include policy papers, academic publications, blog posts, capacity exchange workshops and policy events

The return of displaced people is high on the political agendas of international actors, including those involved in peacebuilding and those working on return and readmission policies. However, the perspectives of the displaced themselves are rarely taken into account. Addressing the perceptions and aspirations of displaced and returned persons must be key to finding solutions to their displacement and for building inclusive communities.

February 2023 - June 2025