Kheira Arrouche

Profile

I hold an MA in Anglo-Saxon, Literature and Civilization from Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University in Algeria. After that, I did a Pre-sessional programme at Christ Church University to prepare for my PhD. After joining Leeds University to start my PhD research at the School of Sociology and Social Policy, I have become convinced that Leeds University is one of the best places to conduct research. The support given from my supervisors, leading experts in the field of migration, has been always important to motivate me to develop my skills as well as my research.

Then, I participated in the i-map Migration Governance Traineeship in Malta launched under the EUROMED programme, funded by the EU and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy and Development (ICMPD). This experience allowed me to contribute to the development of an innovative migration knowledge portal, the i-map. It offered me an opportunity to engage directly with a set of migration actors such as policy-makers, national authorities, EU institutions and agencies, international organization and civil society organization. All in all, it was crucial to gain practical experience on migration governance and policy implementation.

I also co-organized a conference entitled “Racialized Migration and Displacement in a (De)-Colonizing World” at the School of Sociology and Social Policy in collaboration with the School of Geography.

Research interests

My current research examines mainly the sub-Saharan migrants’ journeys through the Maghreb region with a focus particularly on their stage of migration in Algeria. My research explores the mobility and migration pathways of the sub-Saharan migrants taking into account the interplay forces that shape their migration, mobility-immobility experiences. Through an ethnographic approach, I aim to contribute to the critical debates about irregular migration, immobility and uncertainty, by examining the intricate ways the migrants exert their agency to overcome such experiences.

Generally, I have research interests in other research areas such as migration governance, forced migration, displacement and mobility-immobility with the focus on the Maghreb region.

Qualifications

• MA Anglo-Saxon, Literature & Civilization
• BA Anglo-Saxon Language, Literature & Civilization