Rethinking migration systems through a multi-dimensional approach
The Complex Migration Flows and Multiple Drivers in Comparative Perspective (MEMO) is a six-year-long research project (2022 - 2028) that examines internal, interregional, and intercontinental migration flows and drivers across three main regions: South/Southeast Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia), West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and the Ivory Coast) and the Americas (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Canada). Through the generous funding of $2.5 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council's Partnership Grant, MEMO brings together a diverse, multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary team of 38 academics and 32 partner organizations across three continents in this exploration of migration flows.
ANNOUNCEMENT
MEMO 2nd Annual Conference, March 10 – 11, 2026, Sala Alfonso Reyes, El Colegio de México
Why People Move: Interconnected Drivers of Complex Migration
The decision to migrate is often shaped by a web of interconnected forces. People move for reasons that cut across economic opportunity, political instability, environmental change, social ties, and shifting policy landscapes. No single factor explains migration; rather, overlapping pressures and openings influence when, how, and why people decide to move. Digital media, family networks, and global inequalities further complicate these decisions and thus make migration a deeply dynamic and relational process.
How do we make sense of these complexities? What happens when climate shocks intersect with fragile governance? How do gendered family obligations and digital connections influence decisions alongside economic aspirations? Can we identify patterns that reveal not just why people move, but how migration pathways evolve across regions and generations?
Bringing together researchers from diverse disciplines and regions, this 2-day conference highlights the overlapping drivers of migration and the lived realities behind them. Through comparative case studies, quantitative modelling tools, and global collaborations, the conference deepens understanding of why people move and what these patterns mean for future research and policy. This conference will build on the work developed in the global Research Partnership entitled: Complex Migration Flows and Multiple Drivers in Comparative Perspective (MEMO).
Session details will be posted shortly. Please check back soon!
International Migration: From Root Causes to Drivers – Conference Highlights
This conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders in the field of migration, including leading researchers, academics, policy-makers, students, and people from civil society organizations.
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Ghio, D., Hoyos‐Hoyos, S., Liu, G., Kyeremeh, E., McLeman, R., Resch, G., & Mazalek, A. (2026). Modeling the Spatial Interplay Between Migration and Environmental Conditions. Environmetrics, 37(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/env.70070 (external link) 
Shivakoti, R., & Nagari, D. (2025). (PDF file) Nepali immigrants in Canada: Complex pathways and experiences. TMCIS and CERC in Migration and Integration Working Paper No. 2025/17.
Hoyos-Hoyos, S., Aleghfeli, Y. K., & Kyeremeh, E. (2025). The promise of satellite imagery in addressing climate displacement (external link) . Forced Migration Review, (76).
García-Guerrero, V. M., Masferrer, C., & Ghio, D. (2025). Envisioning Mexico's migration future: Three scenarios to inform policy and transform narratives. Demographic Research.
Research Partners
