Publications
Monson, T. & Wessendorf, S. (2025, forthcoming). Conditional inclusion? Conflicting representations, configurations and encounters in East London. Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Bovo, M., Nesser, , Hanhörster, H., Wessendorf, S. (2024). Urban In/Formalities: How Arrival Infrastructures Shape Newcomers’ Access to Resources. Introduction to the Special Issue. Urban Planning, 9.
Hunt, L., Papallas, A., & Wessendorf, S. (2024). Urban encounters: Introduction to the special issue. Migration Studies, 12(2).
Nessler, M., Tippel, C., & Schneider, J. (2024). Politiken des Ankommens in Dortmund. In F. Gesemann, D. Filsinger, & S. Münch (Hrsg.), Handbuch Lokale Integrationspolitik (S. 1–18). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
Wessendorf, S & Gembus, M. (2024). The Social Front Door: The role of social infrastructures for migrant arrival. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 50(12), 2822–2838.
Gembus, M. & Monson, T. (2023, February 17). Refugee families being moved from London to Leeds – our research shows what is lost when newcomers have to leave a neighbourhood. The Conversation. www.theconversation.com.
Hanhoerster, H., Liebig, S. and Nessler, M. (2023). Migration und Zugangschancen auf dem Wohnungsmarkt. Bpb – Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 20/01/2023.
Hanhörster, Heike; Matzke, Felix Leo; Wiesemann, Lars (2023): Begegnung im Kontext von Diversität und Fluktuation: Zur Rolle von Stadtteilorganisationen. In: Migration und Soziale Arbeit 45, 2, 141–147.
Ramos Lobato, Isabel; Goldbach, Alina; Hanhörster, Heike (2023): “The kids get haggled over“: How institutional practices contribute to segregation in elementary schools. In: Frontiers in Sociology 8, 1250158.
Wessendorf, S. and T. Monson (2023). “It’s a Two-Way Thing”: Symbolic Boundaries and Convivial Practices in Changing Neighbourhoods in London and Tshwane. Urban Planning 8(4), 6-16.
Gerten, Christian; Hanhörster, Heike; Hans, Nils; Liebig, Simon (2022): How to identify and typify arrival spaces in European cities – A methodological approach. Population, Space and Place 29 (2), 1–15.
Hanhörster, H; Haase, A.; Hans, N; Rink, D.; Schmitz, A.; Schrader, S. (2022): The (co)production of arrival neighbourhoods. Processes governing housing markets in three german cities. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment.
Liebig, S., Nessler, M., Hanhoerster, H. and Zimmer-Hegmann, R. (2022). Migration und Wohnen – ein kritischer Block auf den Wohnungsmarkt. ILS-TRENDS 03/22.
Nessler, M. (2022). Book Review: Phillimore, Jenny; Bradby, Hannah; Brand, Tilman; Padilla, Beatriz; Pemberton, Simon (2021): Exploring Welfare Bricolage in Europe’s Superdiverse Neighbourhoods. Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning. DE, 80(6), 789–790.
Arnaut, K., van Heur, B., & Meeus, B. (2021). We’re all migrants here: Citizenship and urban social infrastructure. In I. Adam, T. Adefioye, S. D’Agostino, N. Schuermans, F. Trauner (Eds.) Migration, Equality, Racism – 44 Opinions (pp. 171-174). VUBPRESS.
Seichter, C. Z., Nessler, M., & Knopf, P. (2021). Der refugee district in Belgrad: Ein raum der nicht-bewegung zwischen neoliberaler stadtentwicklung, serbischem migrationsmanagement und EU-grenzregime. Suburban, Zeitschrift für Kritische Stadtforschung, 9(1/2), 225–234.
Arnaut, K., Lafleur, J. M., Fadil, N., Mandin, J. & Alloul, J. (2020). Leaving Europe: New crises, entrenched inequalities and alternative routes of social mobility. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 18(3), 1-10.
Hanhörster, H., & Wessendorf, S. (2020). The role of arrival areas for migrant integration and resource access. Urban Planning, 5(3), 1-10.
Hans, N., & Hanhörster, H. (2020). Accessing resources in arrival neighbourhoods: How foci-aided encounters offer resources to newcomers. Urban Planning, 5(3), 78-88.
Meeus, B., Beeckmans, L., van Heur, B., & Arnaut, K. (2020). Broadening the urban planning repertoire with an ‘arrival infrastructures’ perspective. Urban Planning, 5(3), 11-22.
Seichter, C. Z., Nessler, M., & Knopf, P. (2020). Mapping in-betweenness. The refugee district in Belgrade in the context of migration, urban development, and border regimes. Movements, Journal for Critical Migration and Border Regime Studies, 5(1).
Wessendorf, S. (2020). Accessing information and resources via arrival infrastructures: Migrant newcomers in London. International Inequalities Institute (57).
Eckardt, F., Nessler, M., & Seichter, Z., Hg. (2019). Weit weg und unbeachtet. Stadt und Flüchtende in Belgrad seit Schließung der Balkanroute. Bauhaus-Unisersitätsverlag Weimar.
Hans, N., Hanhörster, H., Polívka, J., & Beißwenger, S. (2019). Die rolle von ankunftsräumen für die integration zugewanderter. Eine kritische diskussion des forschungsstands (The role of arrival spaces for immigrant incorporation. A critical literature review). Raumforschung und Raumordnung, Spatial Research and Planning, 77(5), 511-524.
Meeus, B., Arnaut, K., & van Heur, B., (Eds.). (2019). Arrival Infrastructures, Migration and Urban Social Mobilities. Palgrave Macmillan.
Meeus, B., van Heur, B., & Arnaut, K. (2019). Migration and the infrastructural politics of urban arrival. In B. Meeus, K. Arnaut, & B. van Heur (Eds.) Arrival Infrastructures, Migration and Urban Social Mobilities (pp. 1-32). Palgrave Macmillan.
Meeus, B., & Pak, B. (2019). Reflections on the counter-mapping of urban ‘arrival neighborhoods’ through Geoweb 2.0 in Brussels and Ghent. In O. Devisch, L. Huybrechts, & R. De Ridder (Eds.) Participatory Design Theory (pp. 40-55). Routledge.
Wessendorf, S. (2019). Ethnic minorities’ reactions to newcomers in East London: Symbolic boundaries and convivial labour. British Journal of Sociology, 71(2), 208-220.
Wessendorf, S. & Phillimore, J. (2018). New migrants’ social integration, embedding and emplacement in superdiverse contexts. Sociology, 53(1), 123-138.
Meeus, B. (2017). Challenging the figure of the ‘migrant entrepreneur’. Place-based solidarity in the Romanian arrival infrastructure in Brussels. In S. Oosterlynck, N. Schuermans, & N. Loopmans (Eds.) Place, Diversity and Solidarity (pp. 91-108). Routledge.
Wessendorf, S. (2017). Pioneer migrants and their social relations in super-diverse London. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 42(1), 17-34.
Wessendorf, S. (2017). Pathways of settlement among pioneer migrants in super-diverse London. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 44(2), 270-286.
Wessendorf, S. (2017). Pioneer migrants and their social relations in super-diverse London. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 42(1), 17-34.
Hanhörster, H., & Weck, S. (2016). Cross-local ties to migrant neighbourhoods: The resource transfers of out-migrating Turkish middle-class households. Cities, 59, 193-99.
Wessendorf, S. (2016). Settling in a super-diverse context: Recent migrants’ experiences of conviviality. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 37(5), 449-463.
Wessendorf, S. (2014). Commonplace Diversity, Social Relations in a Super-Diverse Context. Palgrave Macmillan.
Wessendorf, S. (2013). Second-Generation Transnationalism and Roots Migration: Cross-Border Lives. Routledge.
Public Engagement Activities
The ReROOT team hosted a hybrid Final Event with practitioners and academics across the three project sites on Monday 5 February 2024. A blog can be found here.
The Brussels team hosted a workshop with practitioners and experts on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
As part of Labor Ankommen (Arrival Lab), Miriam Nessler co-organized a workshop for practitioners on newcomers’ societal and political participation on Thursday 11 November 2023.
Malte Gembus co-facilitated a workshop on the topic of ‘Welcoming Schools’ with Soofia Amin at Kensington Primary School on 1st of November 2023.
Susanne Wessendorf presented a lecture on Migration and Inequality as part of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity Programme at the London School of Economics’ International Inequalities Institute, 20 June 2023.
Susanne Wessendorf presented a keynote at the Welcoming Australia Symposium in Australia, 10 May 2023.
The Dortmund team participated in a Science Walk in May 2023.
Miriam Nessler co-organized two low-threshold workshops on the topic of political participation in April 2023 in preparation for the political intervention on educational justice “400 Stühle” (400 chairs).
Malte Gembus co-organised a participatory photography project in partnership with Fotosynthesis in May 2023, which culminated in the Arrival Stories exhibition at the Renewal Programme which was inaugurated on 26th of June 2023. A blog with images from the event can be found here.
The AIMEC team hosted a workshop with practitioners and academics online on Thursday 26 January 2023. You can find the blog post here.
The Dortmund team and Planerladen hosted a workshop with mediators at Raum vor Ort on 18 January 2023. You can find the blog post here.
The Dortmund team hosted the entire AIMEC team and stakeholders from London and Brussels for a day of exchange and workshops on 4 November 2022. You can find the blog post here.
Malte Gembus and Tamlyn Monson presented on Arrival infrastructures and migrant newcomers in European cities and related research in East London at the London Catalyst AGM in London, 13 July 2022. A blog can be found here.
The London team organised a workshop bringing together researchers and team members from Brussels and Dortmund and London-based stakeholders and practitioners on 7 June 2022.
The Dortmund team hosted a workshop with practitioners and experts in Nordstadt on Friday 20 May 2022. You can find a blog post here.
The Dortmund team participated in a Science Walk in September 2022.
Malte Gembus presented the AIMEC project at Newham’s No Recourse to Public Funds Network meeting on 24thof August 2022 (online).
Malte Gembus featured in a youtube video titled ‘Anthropology and Migration: A walk through East Ham with Dr. Malte Gembus’ produced by the RAI’s Public Anthropology Scholars Elena Liber and Yathukulan Yogarajah (uploaded 16th of August 2022) which you can watch here.
Bruno Meeus hosted a workshop with practitioners and experts in Cureghem on Wednesday 20 April 2022. Email for further information.
Susanne Wessendorf presented findings of her research on migrant arrival in Newham as part of the LSE Inequalities Seminar Series: ‘The Library Is Like a Mother’: Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in East London (22 March 2022).
The London team held a workshop with practitioners and stakeholders in Newham on 23 February 2022. You can find a blog post here.
Malte Gembus presented the AIMEC project to Newham’s Community Neighbourhood Link workers on 13th of April 2022 (online).
Conference Papers
Bruno Meeus and Eli Mareels: Homelessness, precarious citizenship and practices of ‘forced inhabitation’ in Cureghem, Brussels/ FEANTSA 18th European Research Conference on Homelessness, Budapest,12-13 September 2024
Susanne Wessendorf and Tamlyn Monson: Infrastructures of Kindness in the Context of Migrant Arrival, Conference of the Institute for Research into Superdiversity, Birmingham University, 4-6 September
Malte Gembus, Volunteering, Arrival Infrastructures and Precarious Citizenship in East London, EASA 2024: Doing and Undoing with Anthropology, 25 July 2024
Susanne Wessendorf, chair of panel: Urban In/Formalities: Arrival Infrastructures and Newcomers’ Access to Resources, IMISCOE Annual Conference: Migration as a Social Construction: A Reflexive Turn, 3 July 2024
Susanne Wessendorf: Infrastructures of Care in the Context of the Hostile Environment. Livable Cities: A Conference on Issues Affecting Life in Cities, 26-28 June 2024
Miriam Nessler and Heike Hanhörster presented the paper Letters that matter. Überlegungen zu paperwork in und als Teil von Ankunftsinfrastrukturen on the panel Ankunftsräume, Jahrestagung des AK Geographische Migrationsforschung, 23-24 November 2023.
Susanne Wessendorf presented the paper Place-based approaches to diversification and encounter: How did we get here and where should we be going? on 3 November 2023 at a symposium entitled Encounters with diversity: How the “local” matters, at the Max-Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen, Germany.
Miriam Nessler presented the paper Strategien des Ankommnes. Kommerzielle Arrival Broker und wie sie Ressourcenzugänge von Newcomern beeinflussen on the panel Migration und Räume des Ankommens, Herbsttagung der Sektion Stadt- und Regionalsoziologie, 26-27 October 2023.
Zeynep Aydar and Miriam Nessler presented the paper “We are trying to be better than the commercial ones.” Commercial actors within ecosystems of local solidarity with precarious migrants: the Dortmund case on the panel Solidarity with precarious migrants in the city: Alliances, frames and practices, ESA RN37 V Midterm Conference, 5-7 October 2022.
Malte Gembus gave the presentation AIMEC Research in the Borough of Newham’ at a workshop titled ‘How do we shift power to create community-led research?, 27 July 2023 (online).
Susanne Wessendorf presented the paper Social infrastructure ecosystems and gestures of support in urban arrival areas at a workshop entitled Futures of Everyday Democratic Citizenship: Challenges and Opportunities, University of Leeds, 14 July 2023.
Susanne Wessendorf chaired the panel The role of local actors and places in shaping migrant arrival: Arrival infrastructures in European arrival areas, 20th Annual IMISCOE Conference, 3-6 July 2023.
Miriam Nessler presented the paper “You only have to pay money. Then you can find everything.” Commercial arrival brokers and their impact on newcomers’ access to resources on the panel The role of local actors and places in shaping migrant arrival: Arrival infrastructures in European arrival areas, 20thAnnual IMISCOE Conference, 3-6 July 2023.
Bruno Meeus and Elisabeth Mareels presented the paper Polycentricity and scalemaking in the arrival infrastructure on the panel The role of local actors and places in shaping migrant arrival: Arrival infrastructures in European arrival areas, 20th Annual IMISCOE Conference, 3-6 July 2023.
Malte Gembus presented the paper ‘You just try to live like you have a normal life. That’s it’: Volunteering as ‘Infrastructuring’: Citizenship, Empowerment, and Synchronicity on the panel The role of local actors and places in shaping migrant arrival: Arrival infrastructures in European arrival areas, 20th Annual IMISCOE Conference, 3-6 July 2023.
Malte Gembus and Susanne Wessendorf organised the panel Navigating Urban Mobility – Arrival Cities, Volatility, and Infrastructures of Belonging, annual conference of the Association of Social Anthropologists (ASA), 14 April 2023.
Malte Gembus presented a paper titled Volunteering as ‘Infrastructuring’: Citizenship, Empowerment and Synchronicity on the panel Navigating Urban Mobility – Arrival Cities, Volatility, and Infrastructures of Belonging, annual conference of the Association of Social Anthropologists (ASA), 14 April 2023.
Heike Hanhörster and Miriam Nessler chaired the panel Ankunftsquartiere und Ankunftsinfrastrukturen – Räume gesellschaftlicher Teilhabe?, DOKORP 2023, 13-14 February 2023.
Malte Gembus presented the paper “Between Empowerment and ‘Participatory Confinement’: Volunteering and Precarious Migration Statuses in East London” on the panel Arrival Infrastructures as Infrastructures of Transit, Temporariness and Settlement, IRiS Conference, (14 Sept – 16 Sept 2022).
Susanne Wessendorf chaired the panel Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in European Cities, where the AIMEC team presented papers on commercial intermediaries, arrival spaces and methods for arrival, 19thIMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Malte Gembus presented the paper “And That’s Where We Go for Help”: A School and a Community Centre as Arrival Spaces for Newcomer in East London on the panel Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in European Cities, 19th IMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Heike Hanhörster and Miriam Neßler presented the paper “I Close My Shop to Accompany People If They Need Help”: How Commercial Facilities Act as Intermediaries to Infrastructure Arrival on the panel Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in European Cities, 19th IMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Bruno Meeus presented the paper Methods for Arrival: Engaging ‘Chaussée du Mons’ in Cureghem on the panel Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in European Cities, 19th IMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Bruno Meeus participated as a member of a round table titled Integrating Migrants in Small and Medium-Sized Towns and Rural Areas, 19thIMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Heike Hanhörster, with colleagues Cornelia Tippel and Nils Hans, presented the paper Brokers of Change? How ‘Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Shape Diversity-Oriented Organisational Change on the panel Infrastructuring Migration: New Approaches to Migration/Mobility Infrastructures, 19th IMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Karel Arnaut and Bruno Meeus, with colleague Shila Anaraki, presented the paper Between Infrastructuring and Its ‘Counterpart’: The Vicissitudes of Haunted Arrival on the panel Infrastructuring Migration: New Approaches to Migration/Mobility Infrastructures, 19th IMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Malte Gembus, Heike Hanhörster, Miriam Neßler and Susanne Wessendorf participated in the mapping workshop Critical Mapping – Methodological Reflections, 19thIMISCOE Annual Conference (29 June – 1 July 2022).
Malte Gembus, Bruno Meeus and Miriam Nessler are organising a roundtable discussion unpicking the analytical and common-sense categories surrounding arrival at the IMISCOE Spring Conference: Unstable Categories at Work: The ‘Newcomer’ in Academic, Administrative and Everyday Discourses (16-18 March 2022).
Susanne Wessendorf presented the paper ‘The Library Is Like a Mother’: Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in East London on the panel Arrival at The Margins 1: Mobility, Promise & The Politics of Difference in Sites of Exclusion at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) (25 February – 1 March 2022).
