23.04.2025 Summary of the Second Online Seminar Organised by the EUPeace Research Hub “Security and Conflict Transformation”

The second online seminar of the EUPeace Research Hub 'Security and Conflict Transformation' featured three insightful presentations by Prof. Manuela Stranges (University of Calabria), Asst.prof. Zdeněk Rod and Asst. prof. Miroslav Pundarevich (University of West Bohemia in Pilsen), focusing on migration, securitisation, and political responses to migration crises.

During the seminar, the speakers discussed research on migration, particularly informal migrants arriving by sea to Italy. Prof. Stranges presented her research, Inflows of Informal Migrants to Italy: An Analysis of Aggregate Data and Some Insights from a Reception Center in Italy, highlighting the significant role that conflicts play as the primary driver of migration in the Mediterranean region, with many of these migrants coming from conflict zones.

Additionally, the seminar included an analysis of the securitisation of migration in the Czech Republic, specifically during two major migrant crises: the 2015 crisis and the 2022 refugee influx following the Ukraine conflict. Asst. prof. Rod and Asst. prof. Plundrich presented their work, Unveiling Securitisation: Perspectives on MENA-European vs. Ukrainian Refugee Crises in Czechia, noting that in 2015, migrants were initially perceived as a security threat, but by 2022, the Czech government’s stance shifted, becoming more welcoming towards refugees. The researchers compared the political responses to both crises, using the concept of securitisation to showcase the evolving approach of the Czech government to migration.

The seminar concluded with a lively discussion that raised important questions regarding the economic politicisation and securitisation of migration. The session provided an in-depth examination of the intersection between migration, security, and political responses in Europe. It thereby provided an important contribution to a research topic that lies at the intersection of the EUPeace Research Hubs Security and Conflict Transformation and Migration and Human Rights. A key takeaway from the seminar was the need for further collaboration on this important research topic within the framework of the Alliance.