Panel on the Demography of Refugees and Forced Migration

International Seminar on Demographic perspectives on Forced Migration and Refugees
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, 14-16 May 2012

Organized by the IUSSPScientific Panel on the Demography of Refugee and Forced Migration, in collaboration with University of Tehran and the Australian National University
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 15 November 2011

Refugee and other forced migrations have increased substantially in scale, complexity and diversity in recent decades. These changes have meant that traditional approaches to management and solution of refugee and other forced migration situations and protection of refugees have become less appropriate. Demography has an important contribution to make in this space. While other disciplines (especially anthropology, law, political science and international relations) have made major contributions to refugee and forced migration studies, demography has hitherto not featured very strongly in this field. This international seminar seeks to, on the one hand, specify what is involved in a demographic approach to research into forced migration and, on the other, identify findings of demographic research which can contribute toward better policy making in this important area.

Issues of interest to the Panel include but are not limited to the following:

• The conceptualisation of forced migration within a wider population mobility framework.
• The broadening of understanding of forced migration beyond refugees to include other types of forced migrations and mixed migrations.
• The methodology for measuring Forced Migration.
• The relevance of existing migration theory to forced migration situations.
• The structure, scale and spatial patterning of contemporary forced movements.
• The characteristics of forced movers and internally displaced persons.
• The drivers of different types of forced movement.
• The dynamics of forced migration.
• The interrelationships of Forced Migration and Fertility, and Reproductive Health.
• Forced Migration, Mortality and Morbidity.
• The impacts of different types of forced migration on origin, destination and the migrants themselves.

Submissions
The IUSSP Scientific Panel on the Demography of Refugee and Forced Migration invites researchers in the field to submit online by 15 November 2011 a 200-word abstract AND an extended abstract (2 to 4 pages, including tables). Applicants will be notified whether their paper has been accepted by 15 December 2011. If the paper is accepted, the completed paper must be uploaded on the IUSSP website by 1 March 2012.

The seminar will be limited to a maximum of 20 contributed papers, and to the participation of one paper per author. If the paper is co-authored, please indicate the names of co-authors at the end of the abstract. Submission should be made by the author who will attend the seminar. The working language at the seminar will be English. Abstracts, extended abstracts and final papers should therefore be submitted and presented in English.

Seminar Organizers will explore possibilities to publish the accepted papers. Papers submitted should be unpublished, and accepted papers will remain the property of the IUSSP until the committee makes a decision with regard to their possible publication.

Current funding for the seminar is limited and efforts are under way to raise additional funds. At present, seminar organizers cannot ensure that travel support will be available. Applicants are encouraged to seek their own travel funding. Those who are applying for financial assistance from the IUSSP should indicate this when they submit their abstract by ticking the appropriate box on the online submissions form. Funding is contingent upon submission of a complete paper of acceptable quality by the deadline for papers.

For further information, please contact Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi (mabbasi@ut.ac.ir).
IUSSP Scientific Panel on Demography of Refugee and Forced Migration

Chair: Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi
Members: Jeff Crisp, Graeme Hugo, Susan McGrath.