International coalition for de-centred migration knowledge (DEMIKNOW)

Migration is a complex phenomenon as it affects not just individuals but also their families, communities and countries in an interdependent way. However, migration research and discourses are dominated by scholars in the Global North while Global South perspectives remain invisible due to power imbalances in knowledge production and dissemination. International academic research, led by research centres in different countries, can illuminate these complexities and interdependencies, yielding new theoretical insights and methodological innovations.

The DEMIKNOW coalition brings together four migration research centres, located in India, China, Australia and Canada. The collaboration among these research centres – two in countries of the Global South and two in the Global North – creates a dialogue in which knowledge around drivers, processes and consequences of migration for families will be examined from multiple perspectives. Even though migration impacts not only destination countries but also countries of origin and transition, migration research is dominated by the Global North while the Global South is largely ignored. The DEMIKNOW coalition is designed to disrupt this inequitable relationship by creating opportunities for cross-learning about different research contexts: first, by each centre leading a small scale project in which at least one other centre participates; second, by exchanging visiting scholars; and, finally, by jointly developing a larger, more ambitious international research project.

The DEMIKNOW coalition created collaborative projects reflecting multiple research priorities based on different perspectives, locations and contexts. The innovative comparative approach, rooted in equitable Global South/North collaboration, led to critical insights about migration drivers, processes and consequences for families in diverse contexts. Moreover, lessons learned will inform the development of new collaborative models and methodological approaches that transcend the Global North/South divide in academic research.

Learn more: https://www.torontomu.ca/decentering-migration-knowledge/

Each centre selects specific research questions and leads its own comparative project along with at least one other centre. These studies will use a mixed-methods approach, including extensive literature review to contextualize the inquiry; primary data collected through interviews and surveys to test possibilities and limitations of data collection and access; and data analyses by researchers working in different countries. Partners reflexively share learnings about collaboration challenges and benefits and prepare a larger joint international project to study international migration towards the end of the project.

Working papers by each partner were published on the project website (link: https://www.torontomu.ca/decentering-migration-knowledge/working-papers/ ), including respective journal publications related to the project (link: https://www.torontomu.ca/decentering-migration-knowledge/publications/)