Advocacy

Policy, Public Dialogue & Advocacy

MCSA works with researchers, institutions, policymakers and wider networks to promote migrant participation in science, research and knowledge production. Our advocacy addresses barriers to participation and asks whose knowledge is recognized, who gets to contribute, and how migrant perspectives can inform research, public dialogue and policy.

Asian and Black migrant community advocates, including a wheelchair user, co-creating policy with researchers at an inclusive participatory science workshop

Representation and structural inclusion in science

Through strategic partnerships and outreach, MCSA promotes increased visibility and participation of migrants in scientific fields. Representation is not treated as symbolic, but as integral to institutional change within science and policy.

Recognition of migrant contributions

Public engagement is a cornerstone of MCSA’s work. We aim to shift dominant narratives by showcasing the scientific, social and cultural contributions of migrants, while addressing systemic barriers to participation — including those based on gender and social status.

Migrant perspectives in public dialogue and policy

We facilitate opportunities for migrants to participate in public dialogue and policy consultation, ensuring that their perspectives inform both scientific inquiry and institutional practices. This includes the integration of critical reflections on identity, power and marginality, and advocates for more accountable and responsive systems.

A more just and inclusive scientific framework in Europe

MCSA engages with broader European networks to promote a citizen science model that reflects the diversity of its constituents. We contribute to shaping frameworks where community-based knowledge is legitimized and participatory science is structurally supported — grounded in principles of social justice, inclusion and gender-aware governance.

Sustainable and equitable research infrastructures

We engage with funders and policymakers to promote long-term support for citizen science initiatives rooted in equity, inclusion and social relevance — including fair funding allocation, safe environments and attention to work-life balance that enable sustained engagement across diverse groups.

MCSA in action

Putting advocacy into practice

“MCSA brings its perspectives on participation, knowledge production and inclusion into conversations with researchers, institutions and wider networks. Our activities include presentations, discussions, training and other forms of engagement that create space to consider how people can participate in research and how different forms of knowledge are recognized.”

University of Oslo Research Ethics Group

Citizen science approaches in research

“In September 2025, MCSA was invited to present citizen science approaches, methodologies and typologies at a Research Ethics Group seminar at the University of Oslo. The session explored how citizen science could be considered in research projects, including the role of community participation, local knowledge and community ownership. Researchers also worked through a practical exercise applying citizen-science approaches to a local case.”

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