Methodological Challenges in Return Migration Research Highlighted at International Conference in Bonn
5th NWFF Conference, Session 5.2, September 18, 2024, Bonn; Source: photographs taken by GAPs team members
The preliminary phase of the GAPs Data Repository was unveiled at the 5th International Conference of the German Network for Forced Migration Studies (NWFF), held in Bonn, Germany, from September 16-18, 2024. During the panel session, experts discussed the complex methodological challenges researchers encounter in return migration studies, focusing on both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Members of the GAPs team shared insights on the creation of the Repository, which is soon to be accessible on the GAPs website.
The Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC), a key partner in the GAPs project, hosted the conference, which attracted more than 400 participants from across the globe. The event was organized in collaboration with the Forced Migration and Refugee Studies: Networking and Knowledge Transfer (FFVT) project and the European Coalition of Migrants and Refugees (EU COMAR).
The conference commenced with a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Tamirace Fakhoury, followed by two days of panels, roundtables, workshops, and poster presentations. The discussions explored the global, regional, and local contexts of forced migration and displacement, examining the drivers that lead to both mobility and immobility. The event concluded with conversations involving scholars, researchers, and journalists, emphasizing the influence of migration narratives on public opinion and policy.
Insights on Return-Oriented Research: Experiences and Methodological Challenges
One of the notable sessions at the conference, "Looking Back on Going Back: Methodological Challenges in Return Migration Research", was held on September 18, 2024. Co-chaired by Dr. Zeynep Sahin-Mencütek, senior researcher at BICC and co-leader of the GAPs project, the session brought together researchers from various disciplines to discuss the challenges they encountered in different stages of their research on return migration—ranging from data access and collection to analysis and dissemination. Participants also addressed inequalities in knowledge production, particularly in return migration studies.
Dr. Fatma Yılmaz-Elmas, a GAPs research fellow, contributed to the session with her presentation, “Be Ready to Lose the Track: Highly Fragmented Data Landscape About Returns”. She conducted a meta-analysis of return-related datasets, highlighting the fragmented nature of these resources, which hinders comparative research. She also shared her experiences in designing the GAPs Data Repository, detailing the challenges of integrating both qualitative and quantitative return data across multiple actors and countries, dealing with inconsistencies, and ensuring data accuracy. Dr. Yılmaz-Elmas underscored the importance of further funding for sustainability and keeping relevant datasets up to date, given the significant effort involved in establishing the infrastructure.
About the GAPs Data Repository
The GAPs Data Repository, launched in 2024 as part of the Horizon Europe project "GAPS: De-centring the Study of Migrant Returns and Readmission Policies in Europe and Beyond", offers an overview of available qualitative and quantitative data on national return regimes. Designed to be open access and user-friendly, the repository organizes data into five main categories: country profiles, legislation, infrastructure, international cooperation, and descriptive statistics. These categories are based on an extensive review of migration literature and empirical data from 14 countries in the GAPs Project consortium.
For the Guideline, Data Samples and Codebook, please see the report.
The repository, currently being transferred to the GAPs website, will soon be accessible to the public. Stay tuned for further updates.
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