Trinity launches Centre for Forced Migration Studies

Posted on: 26 September 2022

• Picture caption: Dr Tala Al-Rousan, Trinity's Vice-President for Global Engagement Dr Emma Stokes, Dr Theresa S. Betancourt, Dr Ganzamungu Zihindula, Dr Cheryl Anderson and Dr Rachel Hoare, at Trinity College Dublin's launch of the Centre for Forced Migration Studies (Paul Sharp)

Directed by Dr Rachel Hoare of Trinity’s School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, the new Centre’s main aims are to foster inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research, develop teaching and training for individuals and organisations supporting refugees as well as establishing volunteering networks drawing on existing expertise within the College community in relation to helping those who have experienced forced migration. 

Dr Rachel Hoare said: “At the end of 2021, 89.3 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced because of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or public order disruptions. The climate crisis is also driving displacement, while making it more difficult for those who are forced to flee.  Almost 5,000 people have applied for asylum in Ireland in the first five months of 2022, and this figure does not include approximately 48,000 Ukranians who had arrived in Ireland by the end of August 2022.”

“TCFMS will draw on the research and teaching interests of colleagues in Trinity College who are already actively engaged in many collaborative and civically engaged research and community initiatives. It will also encourage and facilitate networking and collaboration between academics from other universities both nationally and internationally as well as policymakers from government bodies, NGOs, and grassroots and charitable organisations, to address the current need for critical research in this area.”

The launch of the Centre on Monday September 26^th 2022 incorporated Trinity’s inaugural University of Sanctuary lectures. Trinity joined the University of Sanctuary network in March 2021

The speakers at the launch event were:

• Dr Cheryl A. M. Anderson, Professor and Dean at the University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, speaking on “Forced Migration Determinants and Outcomes: A 21^st Century Public Health challenge”.
• Dr Theresa S. Betancourt, inaugural Salem professor in Global Practice at the Boston College School of Social Work and Director of the Research programme on Children and Adversity, speaking on: “Family-based mental health promotion in refugee children: The promise of community-based participatory intervention, development and evaluation.”
• Dr Tala Al-Rousan, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine and Epidemiology at Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), speaking on “Refugee Health Research along the Migratory Route: The need for global research partnerships.”
• Dr Ganzamungu Zihindula, Independent Public Health Research Consultant & Public Health Professor at the Africa Health Research Institute,University of KwaZulu-Natal, speaking on “African perspectives on internal displacement and health threats.”

ENDS