Advancing Knowledge on Forced Displacement in Southeast Asia

The project aims to gain a deeper understanding of diverse forms of forced displacement in Southeast Asia caused by political and religious conflict, resource grabbing, natural disasters, and infrastructure development and to build a specialization in this area at Chiang Mai University. A Research Chair on Forced Displacement, one among 12 positions worldwide supported by IDRC, will coordinate research and training activities, with the aim to assess the state of knowledge on forced displacement in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Myanmar, and border areas, and analyze the historical, economic, political, and cultural context of forced migration. It will place a particular emphasis on supporting agency and livelihoods in ways that go beyond traditional “solutions” to displacement. The research chair will provide support to both new and existing programs at CMU and beyond, with a particular emphasis on the intersectionality between gender inequality and ethnic exclusion. He/she will produce outputs which help bridge the knowledge gap between the global north and the global south, and link to policy processes and formulation at the national and regional levels in Southeast Asia through collaborations with both local civil society and international organizations. He/she will also lead research initiatives which will bring the voices of displaced people and their creative solutions to the fore through innovative methodologies.