SORM 2024
Conference

„Safe,
Orderly and Regular Migration: Humanitarian Pathways“

– 69^th
International AWR Conference –
Friedensau
Adventist University, Friedensau, Germany
23-25 September 2024

1. Conference

The 2024 “SORM Conference” on Humanitarian Pathways is a two-day multidisciplinary scientific international conference hosted by the Friedensau Adventist University (FAU) in cooperation with the Association for the Study of the World Refugee Problem (AWR), the Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm (Ohm), the Technical University Würzburg-Schweinfurt, the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal (h2) and the German Jordanian University (GJU).

Streamed hybrid for a global audience, speakers are expected to contribute physically. The conference is structured in two main sessions: (1) State sponsored humanitarian pathways; (2) Community sponsored humanitarian pathways.

All accepted and submitted papers are supposed to be published in the double-blind peer-reviewed Quarterly on Refugee Problems – AWR Bulletin (QRP; https://ejournals.bibliothek.thws.de/qrp/index).

The event also offers an attractive side programme.

1. Objectives

To protect refugees and support host communities, the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees (A/73/12 [Part II], adopted by GA Resolution A/Res/73/151), sees resettlement and complementary pathways for admission to third countries as part of the solution. The envisioned outcome of the conference is an analysis of the current status and role of these humanitarian pathways – might they be publicly, privately or public-privately sponsored. Potentials, limitations and pitfalls will be discussed. Best practice will be shown together with failed. Their relation and effects on the right for individual refugee, subsidiary or complementary protection will be debated, especially in light of attempts for stricter migration control in turn for broadening discretionary humanitarian access.

This conference aims to bring together leading experts, policymakers, practitioners, and scholars from diverse disciplines to explore innovative and practical solutions to promote safe, orderly and regular migration through humanitarian pathways. In the tradition of AWR as the oldest research association in the field, the conference aims at fostering interdisciplinary (social sciences, political sciences, psychology, pedagogics, law, etc.) and intersectional dialogue, deepening our understanding and emphasizing human rights, international and public-private cooperation.

III.  Subject

Humanitarian pathways are complementary. Asylum, refugee protection and human rights-based subsidiary respectively complementary protection typically require forced migrants to take irregular and risky journeys to reach the territory or jurisdiction of safe countries. Even then often lengthy asylum procedures with uncertain outcome increase the hardship, many times under deterrent living conditions. Humanitarian pathways allow for safe, orderly and regular migration. Upon admission, they grant a stable legal status from day one. They are accompanied by pre-departure and post arrival services as well as a welcoming reception in a dignified environment. Community sponsorship supplementing public admission programmes extend outreach and widen chances for protection even further.

This, however, is at the expense of trading the right to admission for discretionary models – which is not to be seen critical as long as legal protection and humanitarian pathways are considered alternatives. It becomes crucial and debatable, though, when humanitarian pathways become a trade-off for strict migration management limiting arrivals in potential asylum countries and therefore its legal obligations for protection. It would be aggravated if States retreat further in light of privately sponsored admission leading to a privatizing of protection.

The conference’s contributions and discussions will be framed by these poles.

1. Partners

• Friedensau Adventist University (FAU), Germany
• Association for the Study of the World Refugee Problem (AWR)
• Nuremburg Institute of Technology (Ohm University), Germany
• Technical University Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), Germany
• University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal (h2), Germany
• German Jordanian University (GJU), Jordan

1. Scientific Committee

• Dr. Sahar Al-Makhamreh, German Jordanian University, Jordan
• Dr. Markus Babo, Catholic University of Applied Sciences Munich, Germany
• Dr. Simone Emmert, LL.M.Eur., Technical University of Nuremberg Georg Simon Ohm, Germany
• Friedegard Föltz, Friedensau Adventist University, Germany
• Reká Friedery, CSS, Hungarian Academy for Excellence, Hungary
• Dr. Christine Hildebrandt, German Jordanian University, Jordan
• Dr. Ralf Roßkopf, Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Germany
• Dr. Uzoma Okoye, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
• Dr. Albrecht Weber, University Osnabrück, Germany
• (asked).

1. Themes

Contributions should cover one of the following main themes and subthemes from their SORM perspective:

1. State sponsored humanitarian pathways
   • resettlement, humanitarian admission, humanitarian visa, mass influx directive
   • national schemes
   • regional and international cooperation
   • pre-departure and post arrival services
   • relationship to ordinary legal protection
   •  
2. Community sponsored humanitarian pathways
   • concepts
   • projects
   • evaluation and critics
   • legal framework
   • relationship to international protection

VII.  Submission of Proposals

1. Proposals for the Scientific Part

You can submit either an individual oral paper presentation, panel or workshop proposal (all sessions, framing several related contributions will be assigned 90 minutes each) for a single-blind review:

• Categories of proposals:
  • Single paper proposal (timeslot for each paper: 20 min., plus 10 min. discussion)
  • Panel proposal (timeslot for each panel: 90 min. incl. discussion)
  • Workshop proposal online form (timeslot for each workshop: 90 min.)
• Your proposal submission needs to contain:
  • Names and email addresses of the presenters or primary organizer and the co-organizer (if available, we prefer two presenters or organizers in case of unforeseen circumstances)
  • The proposed title of the paper, panel or workshop proposal
  • The matching conference topics
  • A 400-500-word abstract of your paper for the conference programme (problem and background, methodology, analysis, results, as far as applicable)

2. Proposals for the Collaboration Pitch

The conference will provide a slot where you could introduce yourself, your institution and your interest in collaboration in the fields of teaching, research or knowledge transfer. This is meant to offer a matchmaking platform for future scientific cooperation.

• Your proposal submission needs to contain:
  • Name(s) and email address(es) of the pitcher(s)
  • The proposed title for your pitch
  • Filled pitching template for your pitch (see annex)

3. Submissions and Deadlines

• Submission of proposals (abstracts):
  • Deadline: 15 March 2024
  • Submission to: ralf.rosskopf[at]thws.de
  • Single-blind review (two reviewers) for contributions for the scientific part
  • Acceptance/rejection letters: until 15 April 2024
• Submission of presentations for the conference:
  • Deadline: 15 September 2024

• Submission to: rosskopf[at]thws.de

• Submission for articles for publication:
  • Deadline: 5 January 2025 (unless otherwise approved in advance, only papers meeting the deadline will be accepted)
  • Papers need to meet the author guidelines to be accepted (see https://ejournals.bibliothek.thws.de/qrp/about/submissions)
  • Submission to: https://ejournals.bibliothek.thws.de/qrp/about/submissions