Art, agency, and access: refugee experiences and resistance in the context of EU’s migration management
Abstract. This Field Reflection is based on the introductory speech (lectio praecursoria) I delivered at the public examination of my doctoral thesis on 10
🎓Exactly one year from my doctoral defense at @helsinki.fi, I'm thrilled to see my introductory speech published as a "Field Reflection" in the Journal of Refugee Studies. What a perfect way to mark this anniversary!
🔗Read this compendium of my doctoral research at academic.oup.com/jrs/article/...
11.01.2026 13:58
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The article “Exploring refugee experiences of migration management: A socio-legal inquiry into visual artworks and social media”, by Berfin Nur Osso was published in the journal Ethnicities as part of the Special Issue: Visual Governance in Migration (edited by Prof. Anna Triandafyllidou and Dr. Alice Massari).
🤔Wait, what do you mean you use refugee paintings and social media in legal research?
📌In a fresh article published #openaccess in Ethnicities, I explain how I explored refugees’ visual artifacts to understand their experiences with migration management in Lesvos.
More here👉🏼 doi.org/10.1177/1468...
06.08.2025 06:20
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Publication Alert!
New Special Issue titled "Migration Crisis with Adjectives: Towards a New Conceptualization and Assessment of Institutional Responses to Migration Crises across World Regions", edited by Prof. Ana Margheritis, is now published in the Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies.
01.08.2025 13:40
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🚨Happy to share my new #openaccess article "A Creeping Crisis of Migration Management? Institutional Responses and Implications for 'Access' at the EU's Physical, Legal, and Social Borders" in Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, part of SI "Migration Crises with Adjectives".
🔗 lnkd.in/drEMQWUb
31.07.2025 07:31
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E.P.A. Moves to Revoke the Legal Basis for Tackling Climate Change
It’s hard to overstate the scale of irresponsibility involved in cutting limits on greenhouse gas emissions. This is criminal—and we’ll all pay for their rejection of reality.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/c...
29.07.2025 19:00
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The IPC warns:
"The worst-case scenario of Famine is rapidly unfolding in the Gaza Strip amid relentless conflict, displacements, and extremely limited humanitarian access."
"Acute malnutrition has surged across the Gaza Strip, quadrupling and reaching Famine threshold in Gaza City."
29.07.2025 12:00
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The panel on “Climate Politics and Regionalism in Europe”, where I will present my work.
Arrived in Seoul yesterday, looking forward to attending @ipsa.org #IPSA2025 World Congress! Tomorrow at 17.30 I will present the first paper from my postdoctoral project. 🇰🇷🗼
The paper delves into the justness of the EU green transition from the perspective of migrant workers in the Finnish Arctic.
12.07.2025 05:59
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Gaza | ”Toivokaa meille nopeaa kuolemaa” – Gazan ahdinko syvenee Israelin sotavaunujen jyristessä
Gazalainen opettaja on perheineen jatkuvassa valmiudessa lähtemään evakkoon. Veden hankintakin on tuntien urakka.
4 tyttären isä Sameh Saftawi:
"Rukoilkaa puolestamme ja toivokaa meille nopeaa kuolemaa. Koska tämä on toiveemme nyt. Tai katsokaa puoleemme myötätunnolla ja auttakaa meitä pääsemään pois tästä maasta."
Kuolemaa... vai pelastusta? Kumpaa palestiinalaisille on luvassa, riippuu meidän hallituksesta!
23.05.2025 03:25
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Join us for the relaunch of our Online Café on Monday, 19 May at 16:00 CET!
🔹 A one-hour informal space to connect, share ideas & published work
🔹 Featuring presentations by @bossoloji.bsky.social and @pau-palop.bsky.social
📍Venue: Webex
unine.webex.com/meet/great.u...
Let’s (re)connect!
07.05.2025 17:05
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The 36th Helsinki Summer Seminar 'Re-thinking Public/Private Divide' hosts an excellent group of speakers, including @jdamh.bsky.social @mjdurkee.bsky.social, and Elisabetta Morlino, in Helsinki 25-29 August 2025. Read more about the Seminar www.helsinki.fi/en/erik-cast... Registration link below
29.04.2025 14:44
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Now out and #openaccess in issue 30(2): ‘Now You See Me’: Refugees Looking Back at the EU’s Border Camp Watch in Lesvos by @bossoloji.bsky.social and @henkvanhoutum.bsky.social
Download and read for free:
07.04.2025 08:12
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JUST-BOUND project team (left to right): Ira Haltia, Dr Berfin Nur Osso, Asst Prof Dorothee Cambou, Sade Mäntylä, Dr Tero Kivinen
Save the date! We’re organizing a launch seminar for ‘JUST-BOUND–Justice Beyond Boundaries’, a key research focus within the REBOUND - Just Green Transition project.
📆 17 April 2025
🕚 11.00am to 12.00pm EEST
📍 Porthania building @helsinki.fi center campus, P545 & Online
More info👉🏼 lnkd.in/dfcnzqJR
02.04.2025 07:58
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States manage refugees not only through physical borders, but also legal and social borders. In my doctoral thesis, I examined the EU's external borders from refugees' perspectives. I spoke with @anssibwalya.bsky.social for @helsinki.fi Yliopisto magazine.
Read more👉 www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/p...
13.03.2025 15:51
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First ever conference as a doctor! Yesterday I arrived in Chicago to attend #ISA2025 @isanet.bsky.social on March 2-6.
I will chair a session on the politics of migration and asylum & present my forthcoming article on the EU’s migration management crisis.
Now exploring the city before the big event.
27.02.2025 19:12
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‘Now You See Me’: Refugees Looking Back at the EU’s Border Camp Watch in Lesvos
In this article, we explore refugees’ countervisuality, an emancipatory protest against the visuality of border watchers. Focusing on the social media campaign ‘Now You See Me, Moria’, led by refug...
Our article “‘Now You See Me’: Refugees Looking Back at the EU’s Border Camp Watch in Lesvos” with @henkvanhoutum.bsky.social is now available on vol. 30(2) @geopoliticsjournal.bsky.social!
We explore refugees’ struggles against the visuality of border watchers in Lesvos.
doi.org/10.1080/1465...
21.02.2025 14:35
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“Trump proposes that the US takes over Gaza. All Palestinians there should be relocated”
The NYT describing military occupation, the mass ethnic cleansing of two million people and the shredding of what’s left of international law :
05.02.2025 01:22
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Aw thank you so much, Dr Sormunen! 🥹🤗
03.02.2025 11:32
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a man in a top hat holds a dog on his shoulders
ALT: a man in a top hat holds a dog on his shoulders
As of January 28th, I’m officially a Doctor of Laws (with distinction) from @helsinki.fi.🥹🥹
Super chuffed to have completed this milestone after a very challenging journey. Now moving to the next phase as a postdoctoral researcher in the REBOUND project at Helsinki Law Faculty.
03.02.2025 09:43
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My article appears open access in Borders in Globalization Review, vol.5 issue 2 (2024).
One week, one article from my doctoral thesis:
3️⃣ Narratives of Agency: Understanding the Refugee Experience through Paintings at the EU’s External Borders
I explore how refugee-produced paintings in Lesvos represent border experiences and struggles & become refugees’ voices.
doi.org/10.18357/big...
31.01.2025 10:32
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‘Now You See Me’: Refugees Looking Back at the EU’s Border Camp Watch in Lesvos
In this article, we explore refugees’ countervisuality, an emancipatory protest against the visuality of border watchers. Focusing on the social media campaign ‘Now You See Me, Moria’, led by refug...
One week, one article from my doctoral thesis:
2️⃣ ‘Now You See Me’: Refugees Looking Back at the EU’s Border Camp Watch in Lesvos
In this article authored w/ @henkvanhoutum.bsky.social, we explore how refugees challenge Greek authorities’ bordering in Lesvos on social media.
doi.org/10.1080/1465...
24.01.2025 08:02
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This looks super interesting, especially its focus on legal consciousness! Added to my reading list.👌🏻
23.01.2025 12:46
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