Current projects
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MFI Grant Awardees:
1. African and Caribbean Migrants: Co-producing Economic Support Systems
搁别蝉别补谤肠丑别谤:鈥�Dr Clea Bourne
Dr Clea Bourne鈥檚 project reveals the everyday financial challenges facing African and Caribbean migrants in the UK, from debt and remittances to business and education barriers. Using co-produced research and African oral storytelling, the project empowers migrants to share experiences, shape solutions, and build community-led economic support systems. Findings will feed directly into policy, stakeholder networks, and a video series showcasing migrants鈥� economic stories, creating tangible impact and improving financial inclusion.
2. Harnessing Digital Influencers for Cross-Cultural Solidarities in Manila
Researcher: Jason Vincent A. Caba帽es
Jason Caba帽es鈥� project pilots a 鈥渢raining camp鈥� for young Filipino, Korean, and Indian social media influencers in Manila, teaching them to co-produce content that challenges local racisms and fosters cross-cultural solidarity. The initiative equips participants with skills to create socially progressive, monetisable online content, while amplifying migrant voices and promoting inclusive narratives. Outputs include collaborative videos and a public report, laying the groundwork for a wider Southeast Asian network of scholars and influencers tackling racism through creative digital media.
3. Diasporic Memory: Reconstructing the Isaaq Genocide
搁别蝉别补谤肠丑别谤蝉:鈥� & Forensic Architecture (FA), in partnership with UK Somaliland Alliance
This project addresses the historical erasure of the Isaaq Genocide (1987鈥�1989) by supporting the UK-based Somaliland diaspora in documenting and reconstructing events through visual and spatial evidence. FA and UKSLA are co-producing a detailed archive, community workshops, and digital reconstructions to give survivors鈥� stories visibility and shape advocacy for UN recognition. Phase 1 establishes partnerships, gathers evidence, and develops a research framework, laying the foundation for impactful educational and public-facing outputs that amplify Somaliland voices and preserve collective memory.
4. Leather and Migration: Craft, Class and Caste
搁别蝉别补谤肠丑别谤:鈥�Prof. Nirmal Puwar, MCCS
This project explores how caste, class, and migration intersect through the history and craft of leather, from Bermondsey鈥檚 imperial leather trade to contemporary diasporic communities in India, North America, and Europe. Using participatory arts, archival research, and international collaboration, it reveals the hidden lives of leather workers, the sensory politics of 鈥渟oiled鈥� labour, and the erasure of diverse migrant contributions. The project will create a global interdisciplinary network, symposium outputs, and multimedia resources, laying the groundwork for a major ERC bid while connecting scholarship, creative practice, and social justice.
5. Mapping Human Security/Insecurity: Stories of Migration in the UK
搁别蝉别补谤肠丑别谤:鈥�Prof. Farzana Shain
This project explores how migrants from conflict zones experience and navigate security and insecurity in the UK. Through co-created workshops, interviews, and a docudrama performance, it amplifies migrant voices, fosters community networks, challenges negative stereotypes, and informs public understanding and policy. The initiative lays the groundwork for lasting impact through academic outputs and future funding for wider-scale research.