Soziologie

Since April 2024 I am an associated researcher of the Research Training Group (RTG 2951) “Cross-Border Labour Markets”, based at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Early this summer with the support by the RTG 2951, I participated in two pivotal academic events in Spain: an intensive writing retreat in Barcelona and the 23rd Annual Conference of the International Migration Research Network (IMISCOE).

Diving Into Street-Level Bureaucracy: The Barcelona Writing Retreat

Academic writing requires dedicated time away from daily administrative tasks and other interruptions. From June 25 to 26, 2026, I attended a specialized writing retreat at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain. The event was organized by the IMISCOE Standing Committee on Migration Politics and Governance (MIGPOG) alongside the TransDeM Research Group (Transnational Relations, Democratization, and Migration) at UAB.

The retreat provided a highly supportive environment tailored specifically to the theme of Street-Level Bureaucracy in Migration Policy. The focus is on how frontline actors, such as border control workers, immigration officials, and social workers, shape migration governance through their everyday discretion, informal adaptations, and decision-making at the interface between the state and migrants.

Analyzing these frontline practices as institutional gatekeepers highlights how their discretionary choices indirectly impact the operational rules and realities of cross-border employment. Through structured writing blocks and peer-to-peer exchanges with international scholars, the retreat offered an invaluable space to refine core theoretical arguments regarding how frontline execution acts as a critical institutional enabler (or barrier) within transnational labor geographies. For doctoral researchers working on complex global phenomena, these collaborative spaces are essential for moving seamlessly from intensive field data to rigorous sociological analyses.

Beyond the intensive writing blocks, the retreat also offered an incredible opportunity for networking and engaging with more senior researchers who brought diverse disciplinary perspectives. This rich diversity within the group provided highly valuable learning moments, shedding light on the writing processes behind different types of scientific products and helping early career researchers navigate academic publishing better.

Presenting Research at 23rd IMISCOE Conference 2026

Following the retreat, my academic journey continued at the 23rd Annual Conference of the International Migration Research Network (IMISCOE), which took place from June 29 to July 2, 2026. Hosted by the Migratory Movements Group at the University of Girona under the overarching theme "Strengthening Migration Studies through Community Engagement," the conference brought together hundreds of international migration scholars, both online and on-site in Catalonia.

As one of the largest global gatherings of migration researchers, the venue provided an ideal platform to align the RTG’s focus on cross-border labor dynamics with contemporary discourses on global migration.

On Wednesday, July 1, I presented my paper online within the panel titled "Understanding Labour Migration: Recent Dynamics and Tensions." The panel brought together scholars to examine the shifting dynamics of labor migration, focusing closely on the sharp tensions that emerge between labor market demands, political exclusion, migrants’ rights, and agency. By exploring how states respond to demographic pressures and severe labor shortages while simultaneously engineering differentiated forms of inclusion, the panel closely mirrored the intellectual heart of the RTG 2951 project.

The presentation sparked vibrant discussions, offering insightful feedback from international peers and senior scholars. Beyond the presentation panels, the conference was an excellent opportunity to network, explore cutting-edge methodologies in migration studies, and strengthen ties between the RTG 2951 research network and the broader international migration research community in Germany.