What a sad and surreal piece of theatre.

It is always sad to bid farewell at the end of these two weeks at the @mpc-eui.bsky.social. It took us only two weeks to create a community. We will now scatter around the world, but many of these human connections will last a lifetime. Long live the Migration Summer School!

Looking for a simple trick to reduce human mobility? The United States is cutting the number of visa-processing embassies and consulates in Africa from 50 to 20. Nearly half the continent’s population will need to travel to another country to obtain a US visa. Via @thecontinent.org

The 22nd Migration Summer School is underway! 23 participants from 21 countries. 19 speakers from 13 countries. 10 days. First challenge: describe your workday in one word. The answers? Fieldwork, data, protection, triage, stress, grant-making, adrenaline, chaos, emergency... and “bureaucrazy”.

When people think about migrants and welfare, they often ask a simple question: Should migrants have access to social benefits? Our new paper with @alexandreafonso.bsky.social and Samir Negash suggests the answer is much more nuanced. @epsrjournal.bsky.social. tinyurl.com/exntas9d 🧵 1/6

What a fantastic week at the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation, University of Pretoria 🇿🇦 Teaching and exchanging ideas with brilliant students and scholars, made possible by @euerasmusplus.bsky.social. I am grateful for the inspiration, new collaborations, and warm hospitality.

For decades, cinema has told powerful stories of migration. The Migration Movies Database brings these stories together to support teaching, learning, and public discussions through a searchable archive of migration-related films. migrationpolicycentre.eu/project/migr...

How do institutions communicate about #migration? With @jamesrdennison.bsky.social & @mcduarte.bsky.social, we built a database of migration communication campaigns in Europe. We’re expanding it now. Do you know a campaign? Please take this 1-min survey. eui.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

The 22nd Migration Summer School in Florence (22 June–3 July 2026): 10 days of applied research, case work, and cross-sector exchange with the @mpc-eui.bsky.social at the @eui-eu.bsky.social. The deadline for applications is tomorrow. Scholarships available. #MPCSummerSchool

In my new article I suggest that even well-intentioned films about migration often frame it as chaos, crisis, danger, and disruption. This is misleading because most international migration is regular and safe. academic.oup.com/migration/ar...

How does cinema shape how we think about migration? In my new article I analyse 410 films, documentaries & TV series from 1940–2024 to explain how migration is represented on screen. 🧵 1/3 academic.oup.com/migration/ar...

Great teaching experience at this year’s Migration Governance course for the @eui-stg.bsky.social with the @mpc-eui.bsky.social: an open-minded, collaborative group, superb TA and guest lecturers. Each student analysed one migration policy: explore the dataset at datawrapper.dwcdn.net/o10S7/12/

Trump’s immigration crackdown likely pushed net US migration negative in 2025 for the first time in 50+ years. Data from @financialtimes.com shows native-born unemployment rose while foreign-born held steady, suggesting immigrants complement, not replace, US workers.

Ten years ago, Giulio Regeni, an Italian PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, was brutally murdered in Egypt while conducting fieldwork. Italian prosecutors have charged four security officials, but Egypt has refused to cooperate: no one has been held accountable for this crime.

Depressingly racist commentary by @mm-gazzetta-sport.bsky.social of the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations, which happened to be an amazing spectacle to watch, regardless of this ignorant commentary. www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Ester...

Applications are closing soon for the 1st East Africa Migration Academy, a unique space for exchange on gender, migration, and displacement in the East & Horn of Africa. 📍 4–8 May 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya #Migration #Gender #Displacement #CallForApplications exed.eui.eu/open-courses...

It reminded me of this.

Tuscan duel: hiking vs road bike. Today, Team Bikes concedes defeat.

A letter from @andrewpgeddes.bsky.social on the Times to criticise simplistic framing of politicians as "pro" or "anti" migration.

Giorgia Meloni’s government has lasted three years. As of yesterday, it is now the third longest in Italy’s notoriously unstable republic. This is possible because of her pragmatism, the discipline within her government coalition, and a weak opposition lacking a clear political programme.

Sunday ride in Panzano, Chianti.

Every morning on my way to work, I dodge tripods and wedding gowns. Apparently, the latest trend among wealthy Chinese couples is to fly here to Florence just for pre-wedding photos.

It feels good to kick-off the Effective Migration Governance training with 22 participants from government agencies, international organisations, NGOs, and the private sector. This year’s focus: migration policy trade-offs. A joint initiative @mpc-eui.bsky.social and @eui-stg.bsky.social. .

At least 142 people faced trial in the EU for helping migrants in 2024, mainly in Bulgaria, Greece, France, Italy, and Poland. Read the full report by @picumofficial.bsky.social. picum.org/wp-content/u...

Refugees and migrants are too often scapegoated and falsely portrayed as threats. This week, the @mpc-eui.bsky.social starts the academic year with @danghez.bsky.social, who will share practical tips on how to spot and counter false claims. 4 September, 11:00–12:00 CEST Hybrid loom.ly/ZlmPp0Y

My favorite photos from the #MPCSummerSchool on #migration at the European University Institute. Sixty hours of lectures, group work, and even a little bit of dancing. To be informed about future events: migrationpolicycentre.eu/subscribe/

Great session with Mary Setrana on Free Movement and Regional Integration in West Africa using songs and videos to bring home the key learning goals. #MPCsummerschool

Very good article by @politico.eu on the steady and problematic rise of exceptional border checks within Schengen. www.politico.eu/article/eu-s...

Personally, I find this rhetoric of left-wing parties self-defeating. 30% turnout is bad (see image below) and, in any case, it is wrong to assume that all those who voted are left-wing voters. Another interesting graph by @youtrend.bsky.social shows turnout data for this and other referenda.