Contact: Alan Burns

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East is the focus of research at Mississippi State as social scientists examine topics related to mass migration, security, immigration and health, and the media’s portrayal of immigrants, such as the incarceration or detainment of immigrants.

Members of the university’s Social Science Research Center will present their findings in June at a seminar they have organized on immigration and refugees to take place at the University of Split in Croatia. Seminar partners include the University of Zagreb in Croatia and George Mason University.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of refugees in Europe is estimated at 450,000 in 2016 resulting in an increase in political pressure and border issues.

Arthur Cosby, Leslie Hossfeld and Megan Stubbs-Richardson of MSU have organized the seminar in collaboration with Viktorija Car and Dagmar Radin from the University of Zagreb, and Tonya Neaves from George Mason University.

“It is a strong collaboration between universities,” Stubbs-Richardson said. “There are so many opportunities to work together on projects that are very important, timely and in our shared interest.”

Hossfeld, sociologist and co-conference organizer, said, “This seminar brings together scholars who examine and illuminate the social impact of the growing refugee crisis in Europe.” 

When asked about the importance of the seminar, Neaves observed, “Security concerns facing the international community today are highly complex and ever changing. By bringing together multiple countries, institutions and disciplines, advanced seminars like this one are paving the way for truly collaborative solutions.”

The Social Science Research Center plans to continue providing joint seminars in the future. For more information on the seminar, visit: http://croatia2016.msussrc.com.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.