Summer Program on Forced Migration and Borders

The Boston University Center on Forced Displacement (CFD) invites applications for the 2026 Summer Program on Migration and Borders, a two-week intensive program designed for graduate students (MA, MPhil, PhD) whose research focuses on migration, displacement, and border-related issues (broadly defined).

Traditionally open to both undergraduate and graduate students, the program has evolved alongside deepening partnerships in Serbia and shifting regional dynamics. Beginning in 2026, it will be exclusively open to graduate students, reflecting a transition toward a rigorous, research-oriented format that emphasizes comparative analysis, interdisciplinary dialogue, and collaborative inquiry.

As part of the program, participants will travel to Serbia for two weeks in late May and early June, engaging in seminars, workshops, and field visits coordinated by the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade, in partnership with CFD. Graduate students from Serbia will also join the program, creating an environment of mutual learning and cross-regional exchange between scholars from the Balkans and beyond. All selected participants are required to attend five, two-hour-long, in-person pre-departure sessions before their trip to Serbia. These sessions will be scheduled for March and April 2026. 

Program Background and Rationale

Long before the so-called “long summer of migration” in 2015, both the United States and the European Union had been developing increasingly restrictive border regimes—systems designed to limit access to their territories and asylum procedures for people on the move. Today, those on the move are routinely pushed back across borders, detained in zones of legal limbo, or contained in third countries such as Libya.

This program examines how and why these strategies of deterrence and externalization have emerged, how they operate across different regions, and how they are experienced, resisted, and reimagined by communities, civil society organizations, and people on the move themselves.

While much of our conversation will focus on the so-called “Western Balkans” and the EU, we will also engage with scholars and practitioners working on other regions—including the Americas, the Middle East, and North Africa—allowing participants to situate Serbia within a broader, comparative global framework.

Program Objectives

The Summer Program on Migration and Borders aims to:

  • Bridge the gap between academic research and practice, connecting scholars with practitioners, artists, and activists working on displacement and border issues;
  • Foster collaborative, cross-regional research between students from the U.S., Serbia, and other parts of the world;
  • Create an environment for both early-stage exploration and advanced project development, offering space for reflection, feedback, and dialogue;
  • Experiment with interdisciplinary and participatory methods in migration and border studies;
  • Support a new generation of researchers and practitioners engaging critically with the moral, political, and empirical complexities of global mobility.

Program Structure and Activities

The two-week program will be held in Belgrade, Serbia (late May–early June 2026) and will include:

  • Seminars and lectures by international scholars and practitioners in migration and border studies;
  • Workshops on qualitative, participatory, and visual methods;
  • Field visits to NGOs, service providers, and community organizations engaging with people on the move;
  • Collaborative sessions where participants discuss their research—from early conceptualization to advanced work in progress.

Students with theses, dissertations, or ongoing research projects are encouraged to apply, as are those who are developing potential topics they wish to explore. The program intentionally balances mentored discussion of work in progress with conceptual conversations about research design, ethics, and methodology.

Eligibility

  • Open exclusively to Boston University graduate students (MA, MPhil, or PhD) working on topics related to migration, displacement, and borders.
  • Applicants from all disciplines—anthropology, sociology, geography, political science, law, history, and related fields—are welcome.

Funding and Support

Travel and lodging support will be available for selected participants. A limited number of scholarships and stipends will be offered based on merit and need.

Application Requirements

  1. CV (max 2 pages)
  2. Statement of Interest / Research Proposal (up to 2 pages)
  3. Unofficial transcript
  4. One academic or professional reference
  5. Writing sample (5–10 pages)

Timeline

  • Applications open: November 2025
  • Deadline: January 11, 2026
  • Interviews: January/February 2026
  • Notifications: March 2026
  • Pre-departure sessions: March/April 2026
  • Program dates: Late May – mid-June 2026 (two weeks in Serbia)

How to Apply

Details about the application portal and timeline will be announced in late 2025. We encourage interested students to sign up for the CFD newsletter and follow our updates to ensure they receive the call once it opens.

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