Refugees, Self-Reliance, Development: A Critical History by Evan Easton-Calabria, published by Bristol University Press, offers a comprehensive exploration of the complex relationship between refugees and their experience of integrating in new communities. 

2023 has been an amazing year for gaming, with the release of two of some of the most favorite games of the decade, Baldur's Gate 3, and the long-anticipated sequel to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. There have been many other beautiful games released this year, but these are getting by far the most praise—and for good reason. 

Music for Shifting Times: that is what we have chosen to call this series.

One of the ideas behind it was that music—especially the sorts of music we share with you here—can offer ways to help you reflect on these changes.

Migrant and refugee women across the globe face a number of challenges, often intensified by their gender, including workplace discrimination, domestic violence, and a lack of language proficiency. These are just some of the many obstacles these women face throughout their journey of integrating.

It is imperative to recognise that that what women migrants and refugees are faced with are often a result of systemic and societal factors in their host country. 

It’s November: the time of full speed ahead. The holiday break is in sight, but there seems like there’s always more to do, more decisions to be made, more work to be done, and needing to have a more focused approach. Whether you feel like huddling under a blanket in your self-sufficient pillow fort or forging ahead with the force of a bullet train, sometimes the world doesn’t give us a choice—and the only thing left to do is the next right thing. 

What that is is anybody’s guess. It will be unequivocally different for every single one of us. 

The promotion of inclusivity and building a strong community is extremely important in our incredibly interconnected and diverse world. Imagine you have just arrived in your new country, Scotland, after looking for safety by fleeing your home country.

You are unsure where to start with language, employment, education, groceries, housing, and cultural integration. 

Migrant integration is a multifaceted process which involves the social, cultural, economic, and political incorporation of migrants into their host society. Central to the process of migrant integration is the recognition and protection of the human rights of individuals, regardless of their migration status or citizenship.

It’s early autumn at the time of writing. A time when it may be good to be outside; a time when weather or circumstance may invite you inside.

A time for reflection, whether gathering in community or staying on one’s own.