CMI’s Climate Change & Migration Initiative at the Nordic Migration Research Conference at UiB

In August 2024, the University of Bergen hosted the Politics of Mobility and Precarity – and Alternatives conference, organized by the IMER Research Network. Featuring 38 panels and over 350 participants, including several CMI researchers, the conference brought together scholars from around the world to explore the intersection of migration, precarity, and emerging alternatives to existing mobility frameworks.

The Climate & Migration Initiative at CMI, established in 2023, contributed a double session on Navigating the Nexus: Climate Change, Migration, and Vulnerabilities in the Global South. Chaired by CMI researchers Are Knudsen and Yograj Gautam, the session delved into the complexities of climate-related migration, examining how climate change intertwines with migration, focusing on vulnerabilities throughout the migration journey—before departure, during transit, and upon arrival.

Presentations offered case studies from across the so-called Global South, starting with Are Knudsen’s exploration of climate (im-)mobility in Palestinian refugee communities. This was followed by Yograj Gautam’s presentation on livelihood fragility in Nepal and Afghanistan, Cathrine Talleraas’ insights into migration governance in Uganda, Kabindra Sharma’s work on security concerns in India’s Sundarbans Delta, and Buket Ökten Sipahioğlu’s examination of the spectrum between voluntary and forced climate-related migration.

The session and discussions throughout the conference emphasized the need for interdisciplinary approaches to better understand the multifaceted relationship between climate change, migration, and precarity.

For more information about the conference, visit the conference website.