Title: Migration, Vulnerability and the Politics of Protection
Speaker: Professor Bridget Anderson, University of Bristol
Date: 27th May 14:00-16:00
Location: Room 100/5013
Registration: Professor Bridget Anderson – Migration, Vulnerability and the Politics of Protection – Fill out form
This session, led by Professor Bridget Anderson from the University of Bristol, examines how vulnerability is constructed, represented and mobilised within contemporary debates on migration. Drawing on historical perspectives and the imperial legacies that shaped current migration categories, the talk explores how distinctions such as those between refugees, economic migrants and victims of trafficking have come to define expectations of protection and deservingness.
Focusing on the UK context, Professor Anderson analyses how policies framed around vulnerability contribute to hierarchies that impact both migrants and citizens. The session highlights how these hierarchies shape access to welfare, social support and legal recognition, with particular attention to the experiences of asylum seekers under the age of eighteen.
By connecting migration governance to wider social, cultural and political structures, the lecture invites participants to consider how ideas of vulnerability influence public policy, citizenship, and social justice. The session will be especially relevant to those interested in migration studies, sociology, politics, law, social policy, history and questions of equity and resilience.
Refreshments will be provided 😊
We look forward to seeing you there!