New Book Examines the Phenomenon of Migration Stigma

ImageThe MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England

Funded by the German Science Foundation and the Ernst Strüngmann Foundation, this initiative brought together over 30 international contributors from the interdisciplinary fields of international migration, ethnic and racial studies, and stigma.

A Weeklong Think-Tank Experience

The Ernst Strüngmann Forum is a think-tank-like experience, where researchers from diverse intellectual and disciplinary backgrounds convene to discuss a problem of high-priority interest. During a week of intensive, in-person conversations across four thematically defined groups, participants drafted book chapters that seek to understand migration stigma at the micro-level, macro-level, as well as over time. The collaboration resulted in a comprehensive exploration of the concept and proposed directions for future research.

Umeå University's Contribution

Maureen Eger, along with Lawrence Yang (New York University, USA) and Bruce Link (University of California Riverside, USA), spearheaded the project, ensuring a strong presence of the Department of Sociology at Umeå University. Other department members, Andrea Bohman, Mikael Hjerm, Paolo Velásquez, and Daniel Gabrielsson, also contributed to the book's development.

Understanding Complex Challenges

The book introduces the concept of migration stigma and its far-reaching effects on immigrants, their descendants , and contemporary societies. It offers insights into how migration stigma impacts various aspects of life, including health, financial well-being, and social cohesion.