Dr Benjamin Etzold
Key expertise
Refugee and migration studies, social geography, livelihoods of vulnerable populations, labour relations, food security.
(Academic) education / CV:
PhD in Geography 2012
Benjamin works on patterns and trajectories of migration and displacement, and studies people’s vulnerabilities, livelihoods, labour relations, and mobilities in different regions. He studied Geography, Sociology, Political Science and Development Studies at the Universities of Stuttgart, Adelaide and Bonn. He worked in the Geography Department of the University of Bonn from 2007 till 2016, where he also obtained his PhD in 2012 with his research on the livelihoods of street vendors and political contestations in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Together with his students, he conducted research on the integration, place-making and transnational lives of refugees in Bonn, on refugee’s access to work and on the available social services in a disadvantaged neighbourhood. In 2011-12, he led a case study on rainfall variability, food security and human mobility in Bangladesh in the research project “Where the Rain falls” by the UN University and CARE. Benjamin joined BICC in 2016 and coordinated BICC’s activities in the collaborative project “Flucht: Forschung und Transfer”, which aimed at strengthening and institutionalizing networks in forced migration and refugee studies in Germany. Since 2019, he leads the interdisciplinary, international, and EU-funded research project TRAFIG – Transnational Figurations of Displacement. The project aims to better understand how displaced people make use of translocal networks and mobilities to overcome conditions of protracted displacement.
Important Publications:
- Etzold, B. (2019). Violence, mobility and labour relations in Asia. International Quarterly for Asian Studies, 50(1-2), 5-18.
- Etzold, B. (2019). Auf der Flucht – (Im)Mobilisierung und (Im)Mobilität von Schutzsuchenden (State-of-Research Papier 04). Osnabrück: IMIS/BICC.
- Etzold, B., Belloni, M., King, R., Kraler, A., & Pastore, F. (2019). Transnational Figurations of Displacement. Conceptualising protracted displacement and translocal connectivity through a process-oriented perspective (TRAFIG Working Paper 1/2019). Bonn: BICC.
- Etzold, B. (2017). Capitalising on asylum – The reconfiguration of refugees’ access to local fields of labour in Germany. Refugee Review, 3, 82-102.
- Etzold, B. (2017). Mobility, space and livelihood trajectories. New perspectives on migration, translocality and place-making for livelihood studies. In L. de Haan (Ed.), Livelihoods and development – New perspectives (Brill Publications) (pp. 44-68). Leiden: Brill Publications.
- Etzold, B., & Sakdapolrak, P. (2016). Socio-spatialities of vulnerability: Towards a polymorphic perspective in vulnerability research. Die Erde, 147(4), 234-251.
- Etzold, B. (2016). Migration, informal labour and (trans)local productions of urban space – The case of Dhaka’s street food vendors. Population, Space and Place, 22(2), 170-184.
- Etzold, B., Ahmed, A. U., Hassan, S. R., & Neelormi, S. (2013). Clouds gather in the sky, but no rain falls. Vulnerability to rainfall variability and food insecurity in Northern Bangladesh and its effects on migration. Climate and Development, 6(1), 18-27.
- Keck, M., & Etzold, B. (2013). Resilience refused – Wasted potentials for improving food security in Dhaka. Erdkunde, 67(1), 75-91.
- Etzold, B. (2013). The politics of street food. Contested governance and vulnerabilities in Dhaka's field of street vending. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
Recent Publications:
- Oakes, R., van der Geest, K., Schraven, B., Adaawen, S., Ayeb-Karlsson, S., de Sherbinin, A., Etzold, B., Groth, J., Hermanns, K., Lakeman, S., Nawrotzki, R., Rademacher-Schulz, C., Romankiewic, C., Serraglio, D., Sterly, H., Thalheimer, L., Wiederkehr, C., & Williams, D. (2023). A future agenda for research on climate change and human mobility. International Migration, 1-10.
- Etzold, B., & Müller-Koné, M. (2023). Boundary-Making in a Contested Space. Food Security and Conflict Dynamics in Marsabit, Kenya Bonn: BICC.
- Mielke, K., & Etzold, B. (2022). Afghans’ narrowing mobility options in Pakistan and the right to transnational living: a figurational perspective. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 4347-4364 .
- Etzold, B., & Fechter, A.-M. (2022). Unsettling protracted displacement: connectivity and mobility beyond ‘Limbo’. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 4295-4312.
- Christ, S., & Etzold, B. (2022). Family figurations in displacement: Entangled mobilities of refugees towards Germany and beyond. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies., 4419–4435.
- Lorenz, R., & Etzold, B. (2022). Journeys of Violence: Trajectories of (Im-)Mobility and Migrants’ Encounters with Violence in European Border Spaces. Comparative Population Studies, 47, 211-232.
- Etzold, B., Wagner, M., & Katsiaficas, C. (2022). People First – New Solutions to the Challenge of Displacement: Think7.
- Christ, S., Etzold, B., Güzelant, G., Puers, M., Steffens, D., Themann, P., & Thiem, M. (2022). Figurations of Displacement in and beyond Germany - Empirical findings and reflections on mobility and translocal connections of refugees living in Germany (TRAFIG working paper no. 10). Bonn: BICC.
- Christ, S., Isikozlu, E., & Etzold, B. (2022). Following their lead: Transnational connectivity and mobility along family figurations in displacement (TRAFIG practice note no. 10). Bonn: BICC.
- Katsiaficas, C., Wagner, M., Pastore, F., Hatziprokopiou, P., Etzold, B., & Kraler, A. (2022). Moving on: How easing mobility restrictions within Europe can help forced migrants rebuild their lives (TRAFIG Policy Brief No. 6) Bonn: BICC.
- Etzold, B. (2021). Flucht und Vertreibung. In R. Schneider-Sliwa, B. Braun, I. Helbrecht, & R. Wehrhahn (Eds.), Humangeographie (pp. 141-148). Braunschweig: Westermann Bildungsmedien Verlag GmbH.
- Etzold, B., & Christ, S. (2021). Humanitarian Admission Programmes: how networks enable mobility in contexts of protracted displacement. Forced Migration Review(68), pp. 63-66.
- Kraler, A., Etzold, B., & Ferreira, N. (2021). Understanding the dynamics of protracted displacement. Forced Migration Review(68), pp. 49-52.
- Mielke, K., Shahid, N., Khatana, A. R., Ahmad, Z., Irshad, A., Kiran, S., Etzold, B., Asghari, S., & Javed, M. M. (2021). Figurations of Displacement in and beyond Pakistan. Empirical findings and reflections on protracted displacement and translocal connections of Afghans (TRAFIG Working Paper No. 7) Bonn: BICC.
- Wagner, M., Katsiaficas, C., & Etzold, B. (2021). Forced displacement in 2021: much to commemorate, little to celebrate (Blog OECD Development matters): OECD.
- Tufa, F., Rudolf, M., Abebe, M. G., Amsalu, D., Etzold, B., & Mengiste, T. (2021). Figurations of displacement in and beyond Ethiopia. Empirical findings and reflections on protracted displacement and translocal connections of Eritreans in Ethiopia (TRAFIG working paper 5). Bonn: BICC.
- Etzold, B. (2020). In the shadow of the pandemic: Who has a right to mobility–and who doesn't? \ Im Schatten der Pandemie: Wer hat ein Recht auf Mobilität - und wer nicht? In BICC (Ed.), Annual Report 2020 (pp. 10–17). Bonn: BICC.
- Jacobs, C., Ferreira, N., Etzold, B., & Roman, E. (2020). Policies should better support people trapped in long-term refugee situations. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/policies-should-better-support-people-trapped-in-long-term-refugee-situations-141923.
- Etzold, B. (2020). How does European policy approach mobility for non-citizens?. OpenDemocracy. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-trafficking-and-slavery/after-the-migration-crisis-the-eus-problematic-relationship-with-migration/#.
- Etzold, B., Pastore, F., Roman, E., Hatziprokopiou, P., Papatzani, E., & Kraler, A. (2020). Kommentar \ EU am Scheideweg: „Europa vor Flüchtlingen abschirmen“ oder „Geflüchtete schützen“? Bonn: BICC.
- Pastore, F., Roman, E., Hatziprokopiou, P., Papatzani, E., Kraler, A., & Etzold, B. (2020). The EU's shield and the institutionalisation of protracted displacement. TRAFIG Blog. https://trafig.eu/blog/eu-shield.
- Etzold, B. (2020). (Im)Mobilität im Kontext von Gewalt - Stand der Forschung und wichtigste Forschungslücken. Fluchtforschungsblog. https://blog.fluchtforschung.net/immobilitat-im-kontext-von-gewalt-stand-der-forschung-und-wichtigste-forschungslucken/.
- Ferreira, N., Jacobs, C., Kea, P., Noack, M., Hendow, M., Wagner, M., Tufa, F., Alodat, A., Ayalew, T., Etzold, B., Fogli, C., Goumenos, T., Hatziprokopiou, P., Javed, M. M., Kamanga, K., Kraler, A., Momani, F. A., & Roman, E. (2020). Governing protracted displacement: An analysis across global, regional and domestic contexts (TRAFIG working paper 3). Bonn: BICC.
- Etzold, B. (2019). Violence, mobility and labour relations in Asia. International Quarterly for Asian Studies, 50(1-2), 5-18.
- Etzold, B. (2019). Fragmentierungen im Feld des Asyls. Alte Hürden und neue Hierarchien beim Arbeitsmarktzugang von Geflüchteten in Deutschland. In K. Binner, & K. Scherschel (Eds.), Fluchtmigration und Gesellschaft. Von Nutzenkalkülen, Solidarität und Exklusion (Arbeitsgesellschaft im Wandel) (pp. 149–168). Weinheim Basel: Beltz Juventa.
- Sterly, H., Etzold, B., Wirkus, L., Sakdapolrak, P., Schleussner, C.-F., & Hennig, B. (2019). Assessing refugees’ onward mobility with mobile phone data—A case study of (Syrian) refugees in Turkey. In A. Salah, A. Pentland, B. Lepri, & E. Letouzé (Eds.), Guide to mobile data analytics in refugee scenarios (pp. 251-263). Cham: Springer.
- Etzold, B. (2019). Fragmentierte Flucht nach Europa. In: Stadtforschung und Statistik 32 (2), S. 77–80.
- Etzold, B. (2019). Auf der Flucht – (Im)Mobilisierung und (Im)Mobilität von Schutzsuchenden (State-of-Research Papier 04). Osnabrück: IMIS/BICC.
- Noack, M., Wagner, M., & Etzold, B. (2019). Transnational Figurations of Displacement: Exploring new solutions to protracted displacement (TRAFIG Practice Note No.1). Bonn: BICC.
- Etzold, B., Belloni, M., King, R., Kraler, A., & Pastore, F. (2019). Transnational Figurations of Displacement. Conceptualising protracted displacement and translocal connectivity through a process-oriented perspective (TRAFIG Working Paper 1/2019). Bonn: BICC.
- Kleist, J., Engler, M., Etzold, B., Mielke, K., Oltmer, J., Pott, A., Schetter, C., & Wirkus, L. (2019). Abschlussbericht – Flucht- und Flüchtlingsforschung in Deutschland: Eine Bestandsaufnahme. Osnabrück: IMIS/BICC.
- Sterly, H., Etzold, B., Wirkus, L., Sakdapolrak, P., Schewe, J., Schleussner, C.-F., & Henning, B. (2019). AROMA_CoDa: Assessing refugees’ onward mobility through the analysis of communication data. In Proceedings of the data for refugee challenge workshop (pp. 70-82). Istanbul: Boğaziçi University.
- Sterly, H., Etzold, B., & Peth, S. (2019). Bangladesch – Beweggründe für Binnenmigration und translokale Lebensrealitäten . Geographische Rundschau(3), 18-23.
- Dick, E., Schraven, B., Koch, A., & Etzold, B. (2018, January). Regional migration governance: Contributions to a sustainable international migration architecture (BICC Policy Brief series No. 1/2018). Bonn: BICC.
- Etzold, B. (2018). Vom Problem zur Chance: Migration in Zeiten des Klimawandels. Flucht-Migration-Integration Newsletter 01/2018. Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES).
- Etzold, B. (2017). Arbeit trotz Asyl? Erlebte Chancen und Hürden von Geflüchteten beim Zugang zu Arbeit. In M. Becker, V. Kronenberg, & H. Pompe (Eds.), Fluchtpunkt Integration. Panorama eines Problemfeldes (pp. 319-353). Heidelberg: Springer.
- Etzold, B. (2017). Capitalising on asylum – The reconfiguration of refugees’ access to local fields of labour in Germany. Refugee Review, 3, 82-102.
- Etzold, B. (2017). Dynamic livelihood trajectories in translocal spaces. A journey through four rooms of livelihood studies. TransRe Blog "Connecting the Spots". Bonn: University of Bonn, Geography Department.
- Etzold, B. (2017). Migrations- und Fluchtpfade aus Afrika nach Europa. In Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (Ed.), Kurzdossiers – Zuwanderung, Flucht und Asyl: Aktuelle Themen.
- Etzold, B. (2017). Mobility, space and livelihood trajectories. New perspectives on migration, translocality and place-making for livelihood studies. In L. de Haan (Ed.), Livelihoods and development – New perspectives (Brill Publications) (pp. 44-68). Leiden: Brill Publications.
- Etzold, B., Schimpl, H., Hamm, & Sonnack (2017). Dokumentation: "Lokale Konflikte um die Aufnahme und Unterbringung von Geflüchteten: Welchen Beitrag leisten Bürgerbeteiligung und Konfliktmediation vor Ort?". Bonn: BICC.
- Sakdapolrak, P., & Etzold, B. (2016). Editorial to the special section "Geographies of vulnerability and resilience - Critical explorations". Die Erde, 147(4), 230-233.
- Etzold, B., & Sakdapolrak, P. (2016). Socio-spatialities of vulnerability: Towards a polymorphic perspective in vulnerability research. Die Erde, 147(4), 234-251.
- Etzold, B., & Mallick, B. (2016). Moving beyond the focus on environmental migration towards recognizing the normality of translocal lives: Insights from Bangladesh. In A. Milan, B. Schraven, K. Warner, & N. Cascone (Eds.), Migration, risk management and climate change: Evidence and policy responses (pp. 105-128). Basel, Switzerland: Springer.
- Etzold, B. (2016). Migration, informal labour and (trans)local productions of urban space – The case of Dhaka’s street food vendors. Population, Space and Place, 22(2), 170-184.
- Etzold, B. (2014). Raumaneignungen, Regeln und Profite in Dhakas Feld des Straßenhandels – Sozialgeographische Erklärungsversuche auf Grundlage von Bourdieus Theorie der Praxis. Geographica Helvetica, 69(1), 37-48.
- Etzold, B. (2013). The politics of street food. Contested governance and vulnerabilities in Dhaka's field of street vending. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
- Etzold, B., Ahmed, A. U., Hassan, S. R., & Neelormi, S. (2013). Clouds gather in the sky, but no rain falls. Vulnerability to rainfall variability and food insecurity in Northern Bangladesh and its effects on migration. Climate and Development, 6(1), 18-27.
- Keck, M., & Etzold, B. (2013). Resilience refused – Wasted potentials for improving food security in Dhaka. Erdkunde, 67(1), 75-91.
- Etzold, B. (2009). Illegalisierte Migration in der Flüssigen Moderne. Migration aus Afrika und die europäische Grenzsicherungspolitik. Berlin: WVB.
Projects:
- Transnational Figurations of Displacement: Connectivity and Mobility as Solutions to Protracted Refugee Situations (TRAFIG)
- Attitudes and Practices in Minority Returns after Conflict-induced Displacement (RE-MIG)
- FooCo - Food Security and Conflict Dynamics in northern Kenya
- Forced Migration and Refugee Studies: Networking and Knowledge Transfer
- Forced Displacement—Research and Transfer: Approaches from peace & conflict studies
- Forced migration
