The University of Ottawa Refugee Hub, in collaboration with the Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC) & Carleton University’s Migration and Diaspora Studies program, is pleased to host this informal roundtable. Please note that participation is by invitation only.

This event is linked with the project Changing Orders: Shaping the Future and Securing Rights in a World in Transformation, which was supported by the Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue: “Smart Changes for a Better World” Public Policy Research Agenda.

**********

Questions of refugee and migrant integration have been a focus for both scholars and policymakers for decades. Current events confirm their ongoing relevance: from anti-migrant riots fueled by misinformation, to larger community responses that emphasize inclusion, to polarized electoral debates across many societies – our collective experiences and perceptions of integration have significant consequences.

The term ‘integration’ itself is contested, and in recent years has been re-theorized in ways that emphasize shared responsibility, context, multi-dimensionality, and multi-directionality (Phillimore,Morrice, & Strang, 2024). Recent scholarship and policy frameworks not only recognize that integration is ‘a dynamic, two-way process of mutual accommodation by all immigrants and residents’ (European Commission, 2004), but it also brings a focus to the role of receiving societies in supporting and providing the context for integration and shaping refugee-integration outcomes (Hynie, 2018; Phillimore, 2021).

These are important advancements over earlier frameworks that tended to focus solely on refugees or migrants themselves, and their ‘success’ or ‘failure’ at ‘integrating’. Newer models adopt a more holistic approach, incorporating measures of integration outcomes that extend beyond economic considerations. This interactive roundtable discussion will consider the next steps for theory and practice on integration, building on these recent developments in the field.

One potential area for future work is to articulate a stronger bridge to concepts of refugee and migrant agency – ensuring that frameworks that emphasize societal context also make space for individual agency. The roundtable will consider emerging ideas on “refugee integration capabilities” as one potential bridge, informed by developing work by Prof. Jenny Phillimore – a leading UK expert on integration and Professor of Migration and Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham. The role of community-supported approaches to refugee resettlement and welcome, such as community sponsorship, will also be explored.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own insights and questions regarding the next steps for research and practice on integration. What other concepts or dimensions are missing or underdeveloped, and how can these gaps be addressed?

The discussion will be held in-person under the Chatham House rule to facilitate an active, participatory and candid discussion involving scholars and practitioners.