http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/32833 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:37:54 GMT 2026-04-22T11:37:54Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33161 Title: The External Dimension of Italian Migration Policy (DEPMI): a mapping of the tools to manage migratory flows with countries of origin and transit Authors: Fontana, I; Rosina, M; Samuk, S Abstract: Recent shifts in migration governance – especially the externalization of border control and the strategic use of migration cooperation – demand systematic analyses of how states manage migration beyond their borders. Italy has emerged as a key actor in this domain, yet its external migration policies remain understudied. The DEPMI project addresses this gap by mapping and analysing Italy’s bilateral migration engagement with 28 countries across North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Asia between 2000 and 2024. It sheds light on the objectives, tools, and evolution of Italy’s external migration governance through two original datasets of over 140 bilateral instruments and 1,800 migration-related development cooperation pro- jects. Complemented by 28 country profiles and an interactive map, DEPMI provides a robust framework for comparative analysis and policy reflection. This article outlines the project’s aims and methodology, while pre- senting key research findings from the Sub-Saharan African context. It shows how the region, once peripheral, has become central to Italy’s migration diplomacy, with a strong emphasis on containment, returns, and the stra- tegic use of legal migration as diplomatic leverage. Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33161 2026-02-16T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33143 Title: The UK could make migrants wait up to 20 years before becoming settled – making it one of the longest waits in the world Authors: Rosina, M Abstract: The UK government is planning to make it significantly harder for migrants to obtain permanent residence. If the proposals go ahead, the UK would become more restrictive than most other high-income democracies. In the case of refugees it would create a situation that is arguably without precedent among peer countries. ... Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33143 2026-04-10T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33081 Title: Psychedelic layerings: Fluid identities of a self-placed young Chinese immigrant in the U.K. Authors: Gan, Weizhi Abstract: This study aims to explore the complex interplay of cultural identity and artistic expression, situated within my personal experiences in the UK, in which I have imagined or self-placed myself as a young Chinese immigrant through the lens of cultural identity within my privilege as a PhD student. My goal is to address the gap in understanding the nuanced perspectives of a self-placed young Chinese immigrant in Britain, wherein I navigate a sense of dual identities amidst prevailing stereotypes. Through a Practice-led Research approach, this project employs psychedelic experimental film techniques, including non-linear narratives and psychedelic aesthetics, to portray the author's journey of self-placement as a young immigrant in Britain through the lens of cultural identity. The methodology integrates psychedelic aesthetics with auto-ethnography methods in the process of filmmaking, providing a personal exploration of identity which reverberates into the experiences of other members of my community. The key findings attest that psychedelic aesthetics, with its fluid style open to varied analysis, serves as an apt medium for relaying the multifaceted nature of a transnational/cultural persona. My psychedelic film practice will demonstrate how cultural identity places ‘self’ within the context of an anti-essentialist binary form that will create a ‘hybrid space’. This research, therefore, discusses the theoretical intersection of post-colonialism and transnationalism that focuses on cultural identity. The overall research centres around an important question, how can we identify the sensation and affection in psychedelic film elements as a creative method for the perception of our cultural identity in the transnationalism of Chineseness. My film’s visuality serves as key evidence that presents some fresh perspectives for experimental filmmakers involved in transnational experiences. Description: This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33081 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/32951 Title: Adapting through adversity: The transformation of art therapists’ professional identity Authors: Muižniece-Slesare, L; Akmane, E; Havsteen-Franklin, D; Mārtinsone, K Abstract: Professional identity, constantly reshaped by social and technological change, comes under increased pressure during crises. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine profoundly disrupted healthcare systems, and art therapy was no exception. This study examines how these overlapping crises have reshaped art therapists’ professional identity, focusing on dialectical processes of contradiction, adaptation, and the restructuring of therapeutic roles and self-concept. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 Latvian art therapists working across diverse settings. Reflexive thematic analysis, guided by a dual-dialectical framework drawing on Hegel and Badiou, identified five key tensions: disconnection versus belonging; vulnerability versus responsibility; tradition versus innovation; collaboration versus distinctiveness; and doubt versus confidence. Through reflection and adaptive strategies, art therapists integrated these contradictions, strengthening and sustaining their professional identities. Hegel’s dialectics accounted for gradual synthesis, while Badiou’s concept of rupture captured abrupt redefinitions, together showing how professionals maintain and reshape identity during disruption. Description: Highlights: • Dual-dialectical lens reveals how crises disrupt and transform professional identity. • COVID-19, digitalisation and war reshaped arts therapists’ professional identity. • Practitioners adapted roles, boundaries, and practices to sustain identity. • Reflection and learning rebuilt confidence and strengthened professional roles. • Crises spurred creativity and peer support, reaffirming professional meaning.; Data availability: The authors do not have permission to share data. Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/32951 2026-02-09T00:00:00Z