Yogyakarta, 23/1/2025 – The third day of the 20th International Conference of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM20) was held on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. A series of agendas on the third day included plenary sessions, Ignite State, various parallel and virtual sessions, and closing.
The agenda on the last day began with a plenary session entitled “Multidimensionality in Urban Displacement and Knowledge Production”. The plenary session discussed the paradigm shift in studies and practices related to forced migration where the knowledge of refugees is increasingly recognized as an important source of information. Refugees are no longer simply seen as objects of research, but as witnesses with valuable life experiences, and can even position themselves as partners in the production of knowledge related to forced migration.
In the context of this discussion, some refugees no longer live in camps under the supervision of humanitarian agencies, but settle in urban environments and interact with diaspora communities, fellow refugees, and even local communities so that the role of international organizations such as UNHCR and IOM becomes less dominant, while refugee-led organizations become increasingly important. Recognizing refugees’ knowledge can change the way refugees are perceived and policies related to refugee issues. The discussion session also explored the new perspectives that can emerge with this approach and how more inclusive knowledge production methods can reshape the relationship between researchers and research subjects.
After the plenary session, there was an “Ignite State” session that discussed the leadership role, creativity, and achievements of refugee youth in developing community-based initiatives. In recent years, refugee youth have shown remarkable resilience of innovation in addressing various issues faced by refugee communities. However, their efforts still need further attention in the global discussion on displacement and migration.
Through this one-hour session at IASFM20, young leaders are given the space to share their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned in running community-based programs. The main objective of the session is to amplify the voices of refugee youth and showcase the tangible results of their initiatives. In addition, the session also aimed to change the narrative of refugees from being a vulnerable group to innovative and independent agents of change.
The 20th IASFM International Conference at Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakata is not only an academic event, but also a space for researchers to share their experiences and demonstrate their active role in creating solutions for the international community. With refugees’ knowledge and leadership increasingly recognized in forced migration issues, the conference emphasized the importance of a more inclusive and collaborative approach in refugee-related research and policy.
[Public Relation of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]
