幸运飞艇计划

Almost one hundred staff and other interested researchers in Bergen met to present research, exchange ideas and discuss the transformative consequences of international migration. Migration, together with 'inequality' and 'health', is a prioritised theme in the University of Bergen鈥檚 strategic area on Global Challenges.

Programme and list of speakers

鈥淢igrants and migration are important drivers of change and transform the features of states and societies. It changes the lives of people in the countries of departure, transit and arrival鈥�, said Hakan G. Sicakkan, Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences. He is one of the forces behind the research unit on聽 (IMER Bergen) and the initiator of the symposium.

Dramatic transformations in political systems
鈥淭he past two decades witnessed manifestations of a global system change鈥�, he said, and pointed to four factors for this change: climate change, increased social and economic inequality, changes in the labour market due to exponentially advancing digital and robotics technology, and an emerging global wealth oligarchy.

鈥淭hese four processes may intersect with political processes in unpredictable ways; they occur on a global scale, are so wide-reaching that they are hard to observe directly, with the effect that it limits reactions, resistance and opposition鈥�, he said.

鈥淲hat they have in common though, is their direct consequence for migration. Each of them is likely to increase migration, and drastically change migration patterns and migrant profiles.鈥�

Sicakkan thinks that climate change and growing inequality is prone to produce more migration, which, when combined with the fourth industrial revolution that minimises the need for human labour鈥攁nd the need for foreign labour鈥攚ill radically change migration patterns.

鈥淣ot least, the global wealth oligarchy, in combination with these other factors, is making leeway for formation of a new global governance system under the control of few international players. The evolving global governance system renders nation states less powerful even in their own internal affairs.鈥�

In his comments to Sicakkan鈥檚 opening presentation, Professor of Law, Jan Fridthjof Bernt, called for more debate about the concept of democracy and dialogue across all social divides in order to promote stability.

鈥淭he current populist right-wing argumentation underlines the weaknesses within our democratic societies鈥�, he said.

A cross-disciplinary milieu
The symposium brought together the latest migration research at different Faculties. Eighteen researchers presented their work and participated in the discussions during the six sections. These addressed the transformative effects of migration, ranging from politics, gender, culture, inequality, public spheres, and global health.

The presentations ranged from Christine Jacobsen鈥檚 (SKOK) presentation on problems facing irregular migrants; research that is part of聽the WAIT project. Olga Medevedeva (AHKR) talked about the cultural effects of skilled聽聽in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

聽(Psychology) presented her research on cultural mixing and the disorientation white Norwegian often encounter when meeting Norwegians of colour. 聽Thomas Solomon (Grieg Academy) spoke of constructing ideas of national culture and identity, the role of communications technologies and social media, and how these ideas are presented. He used聽聽as an example of how multiculturalism in Norway is portrayed鈥攐n Norwegian terms鈥攚hile at the same time reaffirming immigrants鈥� status as 鈥渙ther鈥�.

The symposium was organised by 幸运飞艇计划鈥檚 research unit on聽(IMER Bergen) in collaboration with Global Challenges.