At the last MFI Forum we announced our new Social Engagement and Enterprise awards, for new or existing partnerships between Goldsmiths staff both teaching and research staff, full-time or part-time ) and external partners in the migration field  who may be local, national or internationally based.

The projects can involve joint research, data sharing, performance, creation, enterprise, impact assessment, or campaigning – anything that supports and enhances the work that migrant-focussed groups want to take forward with us. Applications can be made from £2k-£10k and this is an annual scheme, so people who may be just beginning connections can opt to start small and build in the future.

This funding call will go out in early May and full details will be listed on this page.
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The Migrant Futures Institute (MFI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Sultan Doughan as the Institute’s fourth interim co-director.

Sultan is a political anthropologist whose work focuses on the secular governance of religious difference in Europe. Her current book project, Converting Citizens: German Secularism and the Politics of Holocaust Memory, explores how debates on memory, race, and migration shape citizenship for Middle Eastern diasporas in Germany.

Sultan’s research brings critical insight into the role of education, state institutions, and memorial culture in shaping belonging and rights for migrant communities—work that all aligns strongly with the MFI’s mission.

Please join us in welcoming Sultan to this important role, which is effective immediately.

Find out more about Sultan Doughan

The Migrant Futures Institute is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of successful applicants to its research awards call. The purpose of the MFI research awards is to help consolidate and further establish a critical mass of research around migration research at Goldsmiths. The aim is to enable researchers already working on or interested in migration to undertake research that will lead to the development of new ideas, collaborations and larger externally funded projects nationally and internationally.

The MFI received a large number of applications and would like to thank all colleagues for engaging with the call. There will further calls announced in due course, with the MFI Engagement and Innovation Awards call in April 2025.

Results are presented alphabetically by surname of grant recipient.
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This coming 26 March 2025 will mark ten years since the UK passed its first Modern Slavery Act, designed to stop coercion and exploitation of workers in the UK – many of whom arrive on government visas from global majority countries to do low-paid jobs in sectors like agriculture and social care.

Representing the  MFI, Prof Sue Clayton attended the Oxford MS-PEC (Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre) Symposium on the anniversary of the Act on 12 March 2025, where many worker organisations along with research and policy groups, argued that while the Act was a significant beginning, much stronger safeguarding is needed against unscrupulous recruiters and gangmasters – as well as steeper penalties for UK companies that continue to breach both the Act and international protocols.

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips MP, and Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons spoke about the need for a more co-ordinated and human rights-based approach when working with modern slavery victims, who are often treated as unwelcome immigrants first and victims of commercial abuse second.

There were also powerful sessions given by slavery survivors, who argued that they should not be invited just to “tell and re-tell their stories” but should have more agency within government and advocacy organisations, to help shape effective anti-slavery practice and policy.

Thanks so much to all who attended this MFI forum – both Goldsmiths staff and researchers, and some really amazing external individuals and groups who shared their current projects and ideas with us.

Being human festival contributions invited
We announced that this year’s Goldsmiths contribution to the Being Human Festival will be a public-facing event around migration themes and engagement, curated by the MFI and the Migration Museum. These may be partnerships with external groups and organisations. We are aiming for four or five sessions across a one-day event in November 2025. These sessions would have budgets available, so please contact Will Cenci at  W.Cenci@gold.ac.uk as soon as possible if you want to discuss further or propose a session.

Social engagement and innovation awards announced
We also announced our new Social Engagement and Innovation awards, intended for new or existing partnerships between Goldsmiths staff ( both teaching and research staff, full-time or part-time ) and external partners who may be local, national or internationally based.

As we discussed, the projects can involve joint research, data sharing, performance, creation, enterprise, impact assessment, or campaigning – anything that supports and enhances the work that migrant-focussed groups want to take forward with us. Applications can be made from  £2000-£10,000 and this is an annual scheme, so people who may be just beginning connections can opt to start small and build in the future.

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