Return and belonging (RE-MIG) - Notions of return after conflict-induced conflict

Peacebuilding and political actors working on return policies rarely take into account the experiences of people going through a return process. The Return and Belonging project (RE-MIG) explores these experiences and argues for their inclusion in policymaking. Addressing the perceptions and aspirations of displaced and returned persons must be key to finding solutions to their displacement and for building inclusive communities. The project empirically studies the role and meaning that displaced people and returnees attach to the notions of return, how they relate to people at ‘home’ and at the place of living, and how their aspirations and hopes for the future shape their lives. It also explores the role of identity and the social boundaries that are drawn and re-drawn during violent conflict, political transitions and (re)migration and invesigates access barriers to rights and services, livelihoods and societal participation.Moreover, the project builds up strong cooperation partnerships with local researchers. By disseminating the project findings to political decisionmakers and practitioners, bicc hopes to contribute to more informed and inclusive policymaking on displaced people and their (potential) return. Using a qualitative and multi-sited research design, the study is based on field research in eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Western Balkans. Outputs include bicc policy briefs, academic publications, blog posts, informal briefings, workshops and policy events.