6th AMIS-MIM MASTERS CONFERENCE

Miriam Cullen, Assistant Professor at University of Copenhagen A collaboration between Centre for Advanced Migration Studies (AMIS), University of Copenhagen, and Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare (MIM), Malmö University. The aim is to provide an opportunity for master's students in Advanced Migration Studies in Copenhagen and International Migration and Ethnic Relations (IMER) in Malmö to meet and exchange experiences and ideas, and to get an impression of the research going on at AMIS and MIM.

The conference is open to all.


Programme

13:00 - 13:10  Welcome by Marie Sandberg/AMIS & Pieter Bievelander/MIM

13:15 - 14:00  Keynote: Miriam Cullen, Assistant Professor of Climate and Migration Law at Copenhagen University Faculty of Law: Climate-related displacement: how developments in the law took people, or left them, in 2019

According to the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 680 million people living in low-lying coastal zones will be impacted by rising sea levels by the end of this century. Yet there remains no international legal instrument to address the foreseeable displacement. This address will outline how the law’s ”take” on climate displaced people effects a “protection gap”  and how gap in legal protection can ”leave” climate displaced people quite literally where they are. But perhaps a treaty is not the solution. This talk will examine two cases lodged this year before UN Human Rights treaty bodies seeking remedies for alleged human rights violations connected with climate change and leading to potential displacement. The first was lodged by the Torres Strait Islander community against the Government of Australia in the UN Human Rights Committee. The second was lodged by 16 children against the governments of Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Turkey before the Committee on the Rights of the Child. 

14:00 - 14:45  MIM Master thesis award: Akinalp Orhan: How to Save a Disappearing Nation? Discourses on How to Address the Consequences of Climate Change Induced Migration and Examples from Kiribati

Abstract: Migration induced by the impacts of climate change is a complex phenomenon that consists of various concepts. It also consists of various perspectives about the cause and the effects of such migration. Regardless of these debates, however, some atoll island nations are under a threat of disappearance due the impact of climate change, especially the rising sea levels. Migration remains the only option for these island nations. Consequently, there are numerous perspectives on how to address the arising problems due to such migration. By utilizing argumentative discourse analysis, this thesis identifies three dominant discourses that address these consequences of climate change induced migration and explores the island nation of Kiribati, although seemingly follows the lead of these dominant discourses, manages to shape and transform the discourses for the best interest of the Island Nation.

Akinalp Orhan, Assistant Research & Information Officer, UNHCR, Denmark.

Coffee break

15:00 - 16:00  Parallel Workshops: Responses to Climate Change - Activism with Migrant and Refugee Groups - Colonial History & Migrant Health Regimes

Short break

16:15 - 16:55  Panel discussion on climate challenges and migration: Miriam Cullen and Martin Lemberg-Pedersen, GRS

16:55 - 17:00  Closing remarks

Reception: Drinks and snacks

See more information on the three workshops on Facebook.

Sign up for a workshop.

Contact: Mette Skaarup mettecskaarup@outlook.dk

Venue: University of Copenhagen, Karen Blixens Plads 8, South Campus, Room: 22.0.11