Successful Writing Retreat Hitdorf Germany 8-10 September

Those were some very inspiring and productive days! Between 8-10 September the HERA “Refugee youth in public space” research team visited Hitdorf to catch up and work together on new ideas. Taking up residence in the lovely Open Sky House, we were pampered with good food, enjoyed great views of the Rhine river and relaxed in the inner garden. After Covid-19 stopped meetings and events, we almost forgot what it was like to see each other in person. It was good to see each other again, to work effectively together but also to spent time as a group away from keyboard. Unfortunately, not all team members could attend the event physically due to travel restrictions. Nevertheless, the Newcastle team was present throughout the event on a big screen!

During the retreat, we brainstormed about the remainder of the project and all the insights we would like to share the coming year. Amongst other things, we will issue an edited book on the topic of refugee youth, spaces and belongings. We are working on a methodological toolkit aimed to assist undergraduate and graduate students in dealing with ethical and methodological challenges when researching refugee youth. Additionally, we are also working on an educational toolkit for teachers who want to teach high school students about perspectives of home in the context of migration and societal change. Last, some initial thoughts were gathered regarding the final conference of the HERA project around May/June. More information will follow soon!