Catherine Wihtol de Wenden

Dr. Catherine Wihtol de Wenden is director of research at CNRS (CERI) with over 30 years experience as a researcher on international migration. She studied political science at Sciences-Po Paris and University Paris I (Panthéon- Sorbonne) and has authored or co-authored some 20 books and 150 articles. She teaches at Sciences-Po and in the University La Sapienza Socrates Program. She has been president of the Research Committee Migration of ISA –International Sociological Association- (2002-2008) and has served as an expert for several international organisations (UNHCR, Council of Europe and European Commission). Among her most recent books are Faut-il ouvrir les frontières? (Paris, Presses de Sciences-Po, 2014 (2nd edition)) and Le droit d’émigrer, Paris CNRS Editions 2013. Her Atlas mondial des migrations (Paris, Autrement 2012) is now in its third edition.

Catherine Wihtol de Wenden reminded us how migrations have shaped the world for much of human history, and how recent developments in the economy, politics and technology have accelerated the movement of peoples, creating today’s refugee crisis.