Borders & Belonging

The Link4skills Navigator and Demographic modelling, feat. Sandra Leitner and Michaela Potančoková

In this bonus episode, Sandra Leitner and Michaela Potančoková unpack the logic behind labour force modelling and what it reveals about Europe's demographic and migration future. Drawing on the Link4Skills Navigator, a tool built to map labour market data, skills partnerships, and demographic trends across countries, they discuss why migration is not a panacea for population aging, how Germany's long-declining fertility rates are quietly driving one of the EU's most urgent labour shortages, and why today's migrant-sending countries like Poland and Romania will soon confront shortages of their own. The conversation also turns to the gap between research and policy, and why long-term evidence so often struggles to keep pace with short-term political cycles. Guests: Sandra Leitner, Senior Economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies; Michaela Potančoková, Senior Research Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis; Justyna Szalanska, Manager, Skills Alliance Poland. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

Anna Triandafyllidou on migration governance, feat. Letizia Palumbo

From growing up in a changing Greece to becoming one of the leading voices in migration research, Anna Triandafyllidou reflects on how her work on migration governance, identity and belonging took shape. She is joined by Letizia Palumbo, whose work on labour and exploitation brings into focus how policies shape and often constrain the everyday realities of migrant life. Together, they discuss why migration policies often fail to reflect lived realities, and how labour systems and identity narratives shape that divide. Guests: Anna Triandafyllidou, Scientific Director, Global Migration Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University; Letizia Palumbo, Researcher, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Nina Glick Schiller on transnationalism, feat. Karina Quintanilha

What happens when migration can no longer be understood within the borders of a single nation-state? Nina Glick Schiller reflects on the ideas and experiences that shaped her pioneering work on transnationalism and the power structures that shape mobility. She is joined by Karina Quintanilha, whose research explores how law, labour and inequality shape migrant lives across local and global scales. Together, they discuss why migrants are never simply “between” places and how transnational ties are structured by power and inequality. Guests: Nina Glick Schiller, Professor Emeritus, University of Manchester and University of New Hampshire; Karina Quintanilha, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of São Paulo. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

Andreas Pott on spatial reflexivity, feat. Christine Lang

From dreaming of Olympic glory on the track to reshaping how migration studies thinks about space and knowledge, sociologist Andreas Pott reflects on the intellectual detours and shifting perspectives that led him to question the very categories migration researchers take for granted. He is joined by Christine Lang, whose work on skilled migration in the health sector illustrates what it looks like to step back from dominant policy framings and study how migration and the spaces around it are socially produced in the first place. Guests: Andreas Pott, Professor of Geography and Deputy Director, Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies, University of Osnabrück; Christine Lang, Researcher in Migration and Urban Studies, Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies, University of Osnabrück. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Gracia Liu-Farrer on the social construction of skill, feat. Helena Hof

What happens when a visa category becomes a verdict on your worth? Gracia Liu-Farrer reflects on the ideas and experiences that shaped her influential work on migration, labour markets and the social construction of skill. She is joined by Helena Hof, whose research examines how labels like "high-skilled" and "low-skilled" are assigned, contested and recognised across cities, institutions and borders. Together, they discuss why skill is never simply what you know or what you can do, how power and place determine whose abilities get recognised, and what it would mean to think about talent as something cultivated rather than possessed. Guests: Gracia Liu-Farrer, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute of Asian Migration, Waseda University; Helena Hof, Senior Research Fellow, University of Zurich. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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John Berry on acculturation theory, feat. Saba Safdar

What happens when cultures meet in everyday life? John Berry reflects on the ideas and experiences that shaped his pioneering work on acculturation, integration and belonging. He is joined by Saba Safdar, whose research examines how power, discrimination, policy and even AI shape newcomers’ experiences of adaptation. Together, they discuss how acculturation theory has evolved in an era of super-diversity, why belonging is never neutral and what societies must do to create genuine inclusion. Guests: John Berry, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Queen’s University; Saba Safdar, Professor of Psychology and Director, Centre for Cross-Cultural Research, University of Guelph. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Adrian Favell on Eurostars and Eurocities, feat. Sarah Kunz

Adrian Favell reflects on the ideas and experiences that shaped his work on mobility, free movement and Europe's so called borderless future. He is joined by Sarah Kunz, whose research examines how privilege, race and postcolonial histories shape who gets to move and how migration labels such as migrant, expat and mobile professional reflect power and inequality. Together, they discuss why studying privileged migration matters, how European mobility has changed over time, and how movement is increasing even as access to it becomes more unequal. Guests: Adrian Favell, Professor of Social and Political Theory and Founding Director of the Radical Humanities Laboratory, University College Cork; Sarah Kunz, Lecturer in Migration Studies, University of Essex. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

Irene Bloemraad on citizenship as claims making, feat. Amanda Cheong

Drawing on a childhood shaped by migration and multilingualism, migration scholar Irene Bloemraad reflects on the ideas and experiences behind her influential work on citizenship as claims-making and the contested nature of belonging. She is joined by Amanda Cheong, whose research on statelessness stems from discovering her own parents were stateless before immigrating to Canada. Together, they explore how citizenship extends beyond legal status into everyday acts of belonging, how birth registration systems can deliberately exclude populations, and where agency and exclusion intersect in the modern politics of membership. Guests: Irene Bloemraad, Professor of Political Studies and Co-Director of the Centre for Migration Studies, University of British Columbia; Amanda Cheong, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of British Columbia. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Nicholas De Genova on the production of illegality and the revolving doors of asylum, feat. Soledad Álvarez Velasco

Drawing on a lifetime shaped by activism, art, and encounters with migration, leading migration scholar Nicholas De Genova reflects on the ideas and political commitments behind his influential work on the production of migrant “illegality” and the cyclical nature of asylum. He is joined by Soledad Álvarez Velasco, whose research follows migrants across Latin America and draws on her own experiences migrating from Ecuador. Together, they explore how asylum systems reproduce illegality, how race and colonial legacies shape migration control, and where hope and solidarity emerge amid exclusion and enforcement. Guests: Nicholas De Genova, Professor, Department of Comparative Cultural Studies, University of Houston; Soledad Álvarez Velasco, Assistant Professor, Anthropology, University of Illinois Chicago. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Ayşe Çağlar on migration, displacement, and urban transformation, feat. Ana Ćuković

Ayşe Çağlar shares how her experiences growing up in Turkey and living in multiple countries shaped her approach to using migrants as an entry point to explore how societies define themselves, draw boundaries, and govern communities. She is joined by Ana Ćuković, whose research looks at how displacement unfolds in cities, including Detroit through urban planning and policy, and how historical and economic contexts shape who is included or pushed out of cities. Guests: Ayşe Çağlar, Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna; Ana Ćuković, Philanthropy Fellow, Council of Michigan Foundations and Hudson-Webber Foundation. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Jørgen Carling on Aspiration, feat. Kerilyn Schewel

From his notable research on migration aspirations and the factors that shape whether people move or stay, Jørgen Carling reflects on how his early experiences in Oslo and fieldwork in West Africa shaped his approach to understanding mobility. He is joined by Kerilyn Schewel, whose work examines why people remain in place and how life goals, family ties and social constraints influence those decisions. Guests: Jørgen Carling, Professor in Migration and Transnationalism studies, Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO); Kerilyn Schewel, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Steven Vertovec and superdiversity, feat. Maria Schiller

From growing up in suburban Chicago to studying cultural encounters in Trinidad, influential migration studies scholar Steven Vertovec reflects on how those experiences shaped the concept of superdiversity and its enduring relevance nearly two decades later. He is joined by Maria Schiller, who draws on her own research inside European city governments to show how public officials interpret and manage diversity in practice, and why policy trends often struggle to keep pace with social realities. Guests: Steven Vertovec, Founding Director, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity; Maria Schiller, Professor of Public Governance, Erasmus University Rotterdam To find books, publications, and media mentioned in this episode please see the show notes. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Janine Dahinden on demigrantization, feat. Maissam Nimer

To kick off season 4 of Borders & Belonging, host Maggie Perzyna explores the concept of "demigranticization" in migration research with Janine Dahinden and Maissam Nimer. They discuss how the label "migrant" is not objective but rather a political construct rooted in nation-state logic that can reinforce harmful power structures and exclusion. Both scholars argue that migration research should step back from treating migration as an isolated phenomenon and instead examine how societies create "others" to define themselves, connecting migrants' struggles with those of other marginalized groups. Despite the dark political climate and rise of populism, they find hope in growing critical voices within academia and emerging solidarities between migrantized and non-migrantized communities. Guests: Janine Dahinden, Professor of Transnational Studies, University of Neuchâtel; and Maissam Nimer, Associate Professor of Sociology, Akdeniz University. To find books, publications, and media mentioned in this episode please see the show notes. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Borders & Belonging: Season 4 Trailer

What happens when established voices in migration studies sit down with the rising scholars shaping the field's future? This season of Borders & Belonging explores reflexivity: the practice of turning research back on itself to examine how we know what we know. Season 4 draws on the lived experiences of pioneering scholars whose work has transformed how we understand human movement across borders. We then ask each scholar to nominate an up-and-coming scholar they admire, whose research builds on, challenges, or complements their own. What follows is a dialogue where mentor and mentee explore the evolution of ideas, the personal journeys behind the research, and the questions that keep them both up at night. Join us as we trace the threads connecting scholarship across time, experience, and perspective. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

What Trump’s Foreign Aid Cuts Mean for Development and Migration

How are the Trump administration's cuts to foreign aid impacting global health and development, and what challenges or opportunities is it creating? The third episode of In Conversation discusses how reduced aid is forcing countries to look inward, rethink policy frameworks, and reflects on the impacts on youth and migration, the role of corruption, and how the global focus on growth is overshadowing sustainable development. Guests: Linda Oucho (Executive Director, African Migration and Development Policy Center), Andre Renzaho (Professor of Humanitarian and Development Studies, Western Sydney University), Sagar R. Sharma (Professor of Development Economics, Kathmandu University) 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

Unpacking Canada's Strong Borders Act: What Bill C-2 Means for Refugees in Canada

In June 2025, the Canadian Government introduced Bill C-2 as a way to strengthen border security and modernize Canada’s asylum and immigration system. However, the bill is being criticized by legal experts and human rights advocates for introducing sweeping discretionary powers for officials and arbitrary measures, including a one-year deadline to apply for refugee status. In the second episode of In Conversation, experts explain what the bill proposes, why these provisions raise serious concerns, and what’s at stake for refugees. They also explore the implications of expanded data sharing, the removal of access to independent hearings and how these changes could disproportionately impact the most vulnerable. In Conversation is a series of the Borders & Belonging podcast where leading voices dive into urgent migration issues shaping Canada and the world. Guests: Sharry Aiken (Professor, Faculty of Law, Queen's University and former President of the Canadian Council for Refugees), Claire Ellis (PhD candidate, Toronto Metropolitan University), and Anna Triandafyllidou (Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration, Toronto Metropolitan University) 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

Is Trump's anti-DEI rhetoric an opportunity for Canada?

As the U.S. rolls back diversity initiatives and academic freedoms, could Canada become a magnet for top global talent – or will systemic blind spots hold us back? In the first episode of our In Conversation series, expert guests explore how Trump-era policies are rippling north, what Canada must do to stay competitive, and why it’s time to rethink how we talk about immigration, equity and inclusion. In Conversation is the brand new segment of the Borders & Belonging podcast where leading voices dive into urgent migration issues shaping Canada and the world. Guests: Wendy Cukier (Founder, Diversity Institute, TMU), Daniel Bernhard (CEO, Institute for Canadian Citizenship), and Naheed Nenshi (Leader, Alberta New Democratic Party, former Mayor of Calgary) 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

The violence of uncertainty: Everyday impacts of precarious immigration status

Imagine this: at age three, your family relocates to a new country. You grow up normally—school, sports teams, friends. In Grade 12, you discover you lack immigration status, preventing university applications. Suddenly, you're not like your peers, and a life of hidden struggles and uncertainty unfolds. In the final episode of the season, Maggie Perzyna explores what it means to live with precarious immigration status. Researchers unpack the idea of “the violence of uncertainty”—how shifting policies, bureaucratic delays, and the threat of deportation disrupt migrants’ lives, from DACA recipients losing jobs to children denied mental health support. Guests: Sarah Pole, Program Director of Childhood Arrival Support & Advocacy Program (CASA) at Justice for Children and Youth Legal Clinic; Patricia Landolt, Professor of Sociology at University of Toronto; and Benjamin Roth, Associate Dean at the College of Social Work, University of South Carolina. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Beyond the Big City

Not everything happens in big cities. This episode explores how small and mid-sized cities in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are attracting and retaining immigrants. Researchers unpack regional migration policies, what helps newcomers settle, and how to build communities that thrive beyond the skyline. Guests: Sarah Wiseman, Canada Branch Director, Shapiro Foundation; Melissa Kelly, Senior Research Associate at CERC Migration, TMU; and Aude Bernard, Senior Lecturer at the School of the Environment, University of Queensland. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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Skills shortages, AI and the future of work

AI, aging populations, and the energy transition: how are these forces reshaping the job market and global migration? In this episode, distinguished guests walk us through how automation is transforming industries, influencing hiring, and impacting migrant workers. Are we creating new opportunities or just making it harder for them to find decent jobs? Guests: Mateusz Żydek, Communication Team Lead at Randstad Polska; Teseseltje De Lange, professor at Radboud University and principal investigator of the Global Strategy for Skills Migration and Development (GS4S) project; and Alexandra Przegalińska, professor at Kozminski University and member of the Link4Skills project. 🎧 Follow Borders & Belonging on LinkedIn. 🌎 Have a question or episode idea? Email bordersandbelonging@gmail.com.

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