Forced Displacement Working Group Meeting #1

Date: October 18, 2023
Location: Penn Biden Center, Washington, D.C.
Co-led by: Claire Adida (UC San Diego), Guy Grossman & Erik Wibbels (University of Pennsylvania)
In collaboration with: Empirical Studies of Conflict (ESOC), IGCC, and Princeton School of Public and International Affairs

The inaugural FDWG meeting convened researchers, policymakers, and implementers to build a shared agenda for rigorous, policy-engaged research on forced displacement. Held in coordination with the ESOC Annual Meeting, this workshop focused on bridging the gap between evidence generation and humanitarian programming. Sessions included:

  • A panel on Big Data and Displacement, with new research on refugee allocation, migration flows during conflict, and remote sensing methods

  • A roundtable on Using Research in Displacement Policy, featuring experts from the World Bank, UNHCR, IRC, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement

  • Panels on Refugee Integration, Return Migration, and Gendered Impacts of Displacement

  • A donor roundtable on funding for displacement research

  • A keynote by Cindy Huang (USAID) emphasizing U.S. leadership and an evidence-driven response to global displacement

This meeting laid the foundation for FDWG as a structured, recurring space for practitioner-researcher collaboration and displacement-specific policy dialogue.

Please find the agenda below:

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