One of the challenges facing this area is the need to define and define the sociological, demographic, geographical, political and historical boundaries of the concepts of migration and mobility. Taking advantage of the multi-disciplinary nature of the new unit, the research area is taking a reflective approach to renewing the frameworks of thought in this field of research by breaking down disciplinary and methodological barriers and by breaking down the barriers between the theoretical fields of migration/immigration on the one hand and migration/mobility on the other.

The research thus brings together the issue of migration and different forms of spatial mobility and circulation. The research focuses mainly on the European and Mediterranean area, including places of departure, passage and reception, as well as areas, routes and points where migration passes through and/or is blocked. The focus may be on countries of departure, reception, transit or expulsion, while taking into account the rapid changes in migratory routes, as well as periodisations (long or short temporalities, depending on the processes and contexts: departures, exile, long-term waiting, settlement, return, but also colonial and neo-colonial experiences, forced displacements, environmental and climatic crises). The programmes will extend investigations into these issues of displacement to include aspects relating to family structures, gender relations, educational models, individual and collective memories, forms of work, modes of housing and relationships to space, including their security and mobilisation aspects.