Migration and ethnic diversity constitute a key element of all societies, past present and future. While media discourse focuses upon conflict between apparently competing migrant and ethnic groups, the integration process always continues in the background. Challenging simple assumptions, the cluster brings together scholars tackling issues of migration, integration and conflict from a variety of disciplinary perspectives including History, Politics and International Relations, while those working in this field cover a geographical range which includes the USA, Britain and Europe (including the Balkans), Africa and South Asia, from the eighteenth the twenty first century.
Leicester is a ‘global/migrant/refugee city’ – dynamic, vibrant, multicultural and the most diverse city in the UK outside London. This cluster reflects our immediate environment, as well as engaging with the world and with global challenges (and SDGs). We have identifiable strengths in migration, ethnic/religious conflict, integration and multiculturalism and significant engagement with external stakeholders – third sector, governmental bodies, charities and think tanks.