Crossing Borders, Building Belonging: Understanding Refugee Displacement Agenda

Program Agenda

Crossing Borders, Building Belonging_May 9_Agenda (PDF Copy)

Crossing Borders, Building Belonging: Understanding Refugee Displacement

Refugee Workshop at the University of Washington
Friday, May 9, 2025
Parrington Hall, Room 360

Agenda
9:45 AM – Arrival & Coffee
Informal gathering and morning refreshments.

10:00 AM – Welcome & Opening Remarks
• Introduction to the workshop goals
• Acknowledgments of partners and supporters

10:15 AM – Panel: Global Displacement and the Global South

A discussion of the global state of displacement with a particular emphasis on refugee experiences and responses in the Global South.
Panelists:
• Aryaa Rajouria, Sociology, University of Washington
• Ayda Pomeshikov, Near and Middle Eastern Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Washington
• Rawan Arar, Law, Societies, and Justice, University of Washington

11:30 AM – Responses to Displacement: A Roundtable Conversation
A facilitated dialogue among scholars, practitioners, and students working on issues related to displacement, humanitarianism, human rights, and immigration control. Broad guiding questions will be shared in advance to encourage participation.

12:30 PM – CSDE Seminar: Let States Select Immigrants

Speaker: Ann Chih Lin, University of Michigan
A presentation on Dr. Lin’s new book project exploring subnational responses to migration in the United States. In the four decades since the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the U.S. has seen sweeping changes in immigration patterns, labor markets, and adaptation processes—yet no major congressional reform has followed. In her talk, Dr. Ann Chih Lin explores how a “shadow state” of immigration policy has emerged through executive actions, agency guidance, and local initiatives—leaving immigrants and communities without a stable legal framework. Drawing from her new book project, she argues for a state-based immigration selection model, where states would issue work, entrepreneurship, and refugee resettlement permits aligned with their own development strategies and community needs. Under this model, the federal government would retain responsibility for national identity verification and citizenship processes, while states would gain tools to shape immigration in ways that address both economic and political concerns.

1:30 PM – Lunch Break
A dedicated time to relax, reflect, and continue informal conversations. (A complete lunch will
not be provided—please plan accordingly. We will offer light refreshments.)

2:30 PM – The Resettlement Campus: A Model for Internationalizing Higher Education
Speaker: Diya Abdo, Guilford College
The Resettlement Campus model presents an innovative approach in higher education to a more robust engagement in refugee resettlement. Resettlement campuses provide refugee new arrivals to their region with material and human resources, including free temporary housing, access to campus facilities and amenities, and a community of support. Participating campuses – like Washington State University in Pullman, WA — facilitate a softer landing, stronger beginning, and greater inclusion for refugee newcomers. Resettlement campuses also transform the educational experiences of their students and deepen local campus-to-community ties — internationalizing both the campus and community. This presentation will provide an overview of the Resettlement Campus movement and discuss research studies and oral history projects that show the impact of the model on hosted refugees, the community, and students. The talk will also provide attendees with resources to facilitate the establishment of resettlement campuses.

3:30- 4:00 PM – Closing Reflections & Adjournment

Acknowledgments

This workshop is made possible by generous funding from the Center for Global Studies, with additional support from the Center for Demography and Ecology, the Middle East Center, and African Studies at the University of Washington.
Special thanks to Phillip Shekleton for his invaluable support in organizing this event.

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