Behind every border crossing is a human story, often buried in a hurried phone video, a community podcast, a personal blog, a grassroots interview. These firsthand accounts tell the reality of displacement more vividly than any report could.
In Refugees, Migration, and Borders Social Justice and Culture, scholars and advocates can access a living, growing database of raw, authentic stories of flight, loss, courage, and rebuilding.
At a glance
100,000
items indexed so far and growing—a "living collection" that will continue to grow
200,000
pages preserved in a permanent archive
Global, unfiltered views of life on the move
The collection spans more than four decades, tracing migration from the final years of the Cold War to the ongoing displacement of Ukrainians today. It brings together the podcasts, blogs, grassroots newsletters, and digital storytelling that document today’s refugee and migrant experiences in real time—along with printed speeches, bulletins, meeting minutes, ephemera, and other older formats.
The project examines the community-based groups and projects, regional networks, mutual-aid efforts, and international organizations that work directly with displaced people and document their day-to-day activities and interviews. With material from over 1,000 groups in more than 100 countries, Refugees, Migration, and Borders Social Justice and Culture shows how refugees and migrants describe their own experiences—honestly, urgently, and in their own words.
Displaced Rohingya refugess
The official stories and the human stories
The stories tell the full truth about life in resettlement camps. Rampant disease means living on the edge of starvation and health collapse. The trauma of pervasive and unpredictable violence induces a steady state of PTSD. When people have close to nothing, theft can be the only way to survive, and stealing is commonplace.
The collection also includes positives—examples of people finding sunshine on the other side of survival. The podcast series “I Am an Immigrant” aims to remove the stigma associated with being a refugee or migrant, through the recorded experiences of people who have created new lives in the UK.
A preservation mission
Refugees, Migration, and Borders Social Justice and Culture is a "living collection" that will continue to grow beyond 100,000 items (indexed as of the end of 2025). Approximately 200,000 pages will be preserved in a permanent archive, available as an optional purchase with perpetual rights. Included are the restored files of many organizations of importance that no longer exist due to political or censorship pressures or loss of funding.
Scholars can look to the past and also access real-time discourse from refugee and migrant communities through new media—to analyze evolving narratives and follow migrations trends over time.
Want a trial?
Free, 30-day trial offered with training
Flexible pricing options, tailored to your institution's needs
Ask your sales rep about collection packages that offer the best value
