ERC Grant for Research on Deportations

07 09 2026

Dr Agnieszka Radziwinowiczówna has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant. This marks the first ERC grant in Poland dedicated to research on contemporary migration. Her project aims to uncover why states are returning to the practice of deporting migrants to countries considered dangerous.

The research project, operating under the acronym REDIRECT (“Redefining the concept of the deportation regime: Deportations to dangerous countries re-legitimised”), will run from 2027 to 2032. It focuses on investigating the resumption of deportations that were previously suspended for years due to wars, conflicts, or other severe threats (e.g., from Germany to Afghanistan or from the US to Venezuela). Today, states are increasingly reverting to these measures, often presenting them as proof of regaining control over their migration policies.

The research will analyze the legal, political, discursive, and social dimensions driving these decisions. The comparative study will cover Poland, Germany, and the United States, focusing on deportations to countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Dr. Radziwinowiczówna’s team will investigate how eviction decisions are justified in public debate and how public support for such actions is shifting.

A crucial aspect of the REDIRECT project is offering a fresh perspective on the relationship between deportations and state sovereignty. The research aims to demonstrate that deporting an individual does not solely depend on the will of the deporting state. Instead, it requires complex cooperation with third countries and international organizations, which can, paradoxically, impact the deporting state’s own sovereignty.

Source and more information: uw.edu.pl