Research
School of Public Policy Assistant Professor Ali Bhagat receives SSHRC Insight Development Grant
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Ali Bhagat, who has received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) . This grant funding supports the exploration of new research questions alongside the testing of innovative methods, theoretical frameworks, and ideas.
The African continent hosts the most significant number of forcibly displaced people globally, including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons, amid challenges such as underfunding and inadequate infrastructure. Despite extensive research on refugee issues in Africa, little attention has been given to LGBTQI+ (queer) refugees, who face discrimination exacerbated by national anti-queer policies in countries like Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Bhagat鈥檚 research project, 鈥淢apping Queer African Refugee Lifepaths: Towards Refugee-Informed Migration Policy in Canada and South Africa,鈥� aims to examine the life paths of queer African refugees from their home countries to resettlement, focusing on South Africa and Canada, two countries where queer refugees often resettle. This research seeks to understand the motivations driving individuals to seek asylum in these countries and assess the roles of state/government actors, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and informal sectors in refugee relocation.
With a decade of experience in forced migration research in Africa, Bhagat plans to draw on this background for a two-year investigation. His research aims to fill gaps in understanding the relocation pathways and survival strategies of queer African refugees, often marginalized in discussions of racism and homophobia/transphobia faced by racialized sexual and gender minorities.
鈥淚 am so thrilled to work on this project as I aim to develop migrant-centered policy interventions. I will employ qualitative methods such as life history interviews and mapping techniques to address the unique challenges faced by queer refugees, including social integration, housing, and employment.鈥� 鈥� Ali Bhagat
Bhagat鈥檚 research has the power to advance knowledge in refugee studies and international political economy, inform policymaking, and improve support for queer refugees in South Africa, Canada, and globally. By highlighting the experiences and challenges of queer African refugees, his work strives to contribute to more inclusive approaches to refugee protection and resettlement worldwide.