Professor Gerasimos Tsourapas
- Professor of International Relations (Political & International Studies)
telephone:
01413308832
email:
Gerasimos.Tsourapas@glasgow.ac.uk
42 Bute Gardens, Room 1204, Glasgow G12 8RS, Phone 8832
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2746-9752Biography
Gerasimos Tsourapas is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Glasgow. He also serves as the Chair of the Ethnicity, Nationalism, & Migration Studies (ENMISA) Section of the International Studies Association and is the Editor-in-Chief of Migration Studies (Oxford University Press). His research focuses on the international relations of the Middle East and the broader Global South, particularly the politics of migrants, refugees, and diasporas.
Gerasimos has advanced the concepts of migration diplomacy and migration interdependence to theorize the interplay between foreign policy and cross-border mobility. Currently, he leads a five-year European Research Council Starting Grant project on migration diplomacy. His work on migration interdependence in the Mediterranean was recognized with the 2017 Martin O. Heisler Award by the International Studies Association. His latest book, Migration Diplomacy in the Middle East and North Africa – Power, Mobility, and the State (Manchester University Press, 2021), was supported by research grants from the British Academy and the Council for British Research in the Levant. In 2021, he received the inaugural ENMISA Emerging Scholar Award by the International Studies Association.
A second focus of his work examines migration politics across the Global South. Gerasimos has published extensively on postcolonial migration states in the Middle East and South Asia, and on the emergence of a transnational social contract in South-South migration in collaboration with Kamal Sadiq (University of California, Irvine). He co-edited a special issue on Diasporas and Sending States in World Politics with Maria Koinova (University of Warwick) for the International Political Science Review. His doctoral dissertation, exploring migration policymaking in Egypt after the 1952 Free Officers Revolution, was awarded the American Political Science Association’s Best Dissertation Award on Migration & Citizenship in 2016. His first book, The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt – Strategies for Regime Survival in Autocracies (Cambridge University Press, 2018), received the 2020 ENMISA Distinguished Book Award and was shortlisted for the British International Studies Association’s L.H.M. Ling Outstanding First Book Prize.
Gerasimos is also researching forced migration governance, with a particular focus on refugee commodification in domestic and international politics. Based on fieldwork in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey during the Syrian refugee crisis, he identified processes of refugee rent-seeking, where host states leverage their position for material gain. His research on ‘blackmailing’ and ‘backscratching’ strategies by refugee rentier states was recognized with the 2020 VIADUCT Research Award (Erasmus+ European Union). He recently completed a co-edited volume on the topic with Marc Lynch (George Washington University) under the auspices of The Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS – George Washington University).
Passionate about teaching and mentoring, Gerasimos has supervised five PhD projects to completion and currently supervises two doctoral students on migration, refugees, and Middle East politics. He has received the Director’s Teaching Prize at SOAS, University of London, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Gerasimos is a frequent commentator on migration, refugee, and diaspora politics, with his work featured in The New York Times, The Economist, The Washington Post, The New Humanitarian, and other leading publications.
In 2024–25, Gerasimos is a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Distinguished University Scholar at the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies, The American University in Cairo. He has previously served as a Visiting Scholar at the Center for European Studies, Harvard University (2019–20), and Migration Research Center, Koç University (2023–24). He holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science from Yale University (2006), an MSc in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science (2007), and a PhD in Politics from SOAS, University of London (2016).
Grants
- 'Securitisation Without Security: How Migration is Shaping the Global Order'
Co-PI – Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2024–26.
Budget: £381,292 ($500,000) - ‘Disappearing Act: Reconstructing the Crime of Disappearances in Times of Political Violence.’
Co-PI – European Research Council Consolidator Grant, 2023–28.
Budget: £1,725,371 (€1,990,598) - ‘The International Politics of Mobility Sanctions.’
PI – European Research Council Starting Grant, 2022–27.
Budget: £1,299,765 (€1,499,836) - ‘De-Centring the Study of Migrant Returns and Readmission Policies in Europe and Beyond.’
Co-PI – Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme, 2022–25.
Budget: £2,939,545 (€3,392,025) - ‘Refugees and Diplomacy in Power Politics.’
PI – Independent Research Social Foundation Small Group Project, 2022–23.
Budget: £2,435 - ‘Migrants and Refugees in the Levant.’
PI – Council for British Research in the Levant (British Academy) Project, 2022–23.
Budget: £12,000 - ‘The Libyan Migration State.’
PI – Society for Libyan Studies Grant (British Academy), 2021–23.
Budget: £7,160 - ‘Migration, Diasporas, and Transnational Authoritarianism in the Middle East.’
PI – Council for British Research in the Levant (British Academy) Pilot Grant, 2020–22.
Budget: £5,875 - ‘Non-State Actors and Migration Diplomacy in the Middle East.’
PI – Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Account Grant, 2020–22.
Budget: £7,450 - ‘The International Politics of Middle East Migration: Problems, Policy, Practice.’
PI – British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award, 2018–19.
Budget: £14,957 - ‘Migration Diplomacy and Inter-State Politics of Population Mobility in the Middle East.’
PI – Council for British Research in the Levant (British Academy) Pilot Grant, 2017–19.
Budget: £5,700 - ‘The Politics of Forced Migration, Interstate Bargaining & Issue-Linkage in Greece & Jordan.’
PI, British Academy & The Leverhulme Trust Small Research Grant, 2017–18.
Budget: £9,379 - ‘Syrian Refugees and Higher Education.’
Co-PI, University of Birmingham Global Challenges Doctoral Fellowship, 2017–20.
Budget: £56,224 - ‘The Politics of Migration Interdependence in Lebanon.’
PI, George Washington University POMEPS Grant, 2017–18.
Budget: £2,368 ($3,000) - ‘Unpacking the Sending State: Regimes, Institutions and Non-state Actors in Diaspora and Emigration Politics.’
Co-PI, International Studies Association Venture Research Grant, 2016–17.
Budget: £8,138 ($10,310)
Supervision
I welcome potential doctoral students who are interested in my areas of expertise, namely:
- Migration diplomacy and the broader politics of cross-border mobility
- Refugee rentierism and forced migration governance
- Transnational authoritarianism and diaspora politics
- The politics and political economy of the Middle East
Previous PhD students (as primary, or co-supervisor) include:
- Piazzese, Giovanni (2018–22)
The Evolution of the Egyptian State's Emigration Policy: Transforming Neglect into Engagement
- Alshamsi, Reem (2017–21)
Implementation of the International Standards for Countering Terrorist Financing in Different National Contexts
- Wu, Wen-Yu (2017–21)
Waiting, Hopes and Futures: Experiences in Accessing Higher Education for Displaced Students from Syria in Lebanon and Jordan
- Mustafa, Ziad Abu Attiya (2015–18)
The Causes of Palestinian Disunity, 1993-2014
Currently, I am supervising the following PhD students:
- Habersky, Elena
Upload - Heneghan, Matthew
Remittance Regimes: Migrational (inter)dependencies between Russia and Eurasia and the comparative effects on political and institutional development
Teaching
Teaching Recognition
- Highly Innovative Teaching Award, Students' Representative Council – University of Glasgow (shortlisted, 2022)
- Senior Fellow (SFHEA) – Higher Education Academy (2021)
- Fellow (FHEA) – Higher Education Academy (2017)
- Director's Teaching Prize – SOAS, University of London (2015)
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2021: International Studies Association – ENMISA Emerging Scholar Award
- 2020: British International Studies Association – L.H.M. Ling Outstanding First Book Prize (short-listed)
- 2020: International Studies Association – ENMISA Distinguished Book Award
- 2017: International Studies Association – Martin O. Heisler Award for Best Graduate Paper
- 2016: American Political Science Association – Best Dissertation Prize (Migration & Citizenship)
- 2015: Middle East Studies Association of North America – Best Graduate Student Paper Prize
Research fellowships
- 2019 - 2020: Harvard University – Center for European Studies, Visiting Fellowship
- 2023 - 2023: Migration Research Center at Koç University (MiReKoc), Visiting Fellowship
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2023: UKRI, Talent Peer Review College
- 2023: Gulf Labour Markets, Migration and Population (GLMM), Advisory Board
Editorial boards
- 2024 - Present (Editor-in-Chief): Migration Studies
- 2020 - Present (Editorial College Member): Migration Politics
- 2020 - Present (Advisory Board): Comparative Migration Studies
Professional & learned societies
- 2020 - 2023: Trustee (elected), Council for British Research in the Levant
- 2017 - 2021: Treasurer (elected, two consecutive two-year terms), International Studies Association – Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Migration Studies Section
- 2023 - 2025: Chair, International Studies Association – Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Migration Studies Section
Additional information
Invited Talks
- ‘Greek-Turkish Relations and Migration Power Politics in the Mediterranean’ (11–12–2023)
British School at Athens - ‘Migration Diplomacy as a Three-Level Game in the Mediterranean’ (13–11–2023)
Henry J. Leir Institute for Migration & Human Security, The Fletcher School, Tufts University - ‘Migration Diplomacy & Conflict: Greek-Turkish Relations as a Three-Level Game’ (9–11–2023)
Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies – University of California, Irvine
- ‘Migration Diplomacy & Greek-Turkish Relations: A Three-Level Game Approach’ (10-05-2023)
Faculty of Arts & Sciences – Sabancı University - ‘Migration Diplomacy & Greek-Turkish Relations: A Three-Level Game Approach’ (03-05-2023)
Migration Research Center – Koç University - ‘Migration Diplomacy as a Three-Level Game in Greek-Turkish Relations’ (28–03–2023)
European Institute – London School of Economics & Political Science - ‘Migration Diplomacy & the 2023 Elections in Greece and Turkey’ (07–03–2023)
Swedish Institute of International Affairs - Panel on ‘European Migration Management in the Eastern Mediterranean’ (02–03–2023)
Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence – University of Athens - Panel on ‘Politicised Migration and the Politics of Asylum’ (12–05–2022).
Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum – University of Cambridge - Panel on ‘Management of Forced Migration in the Global South’ (02–02–2022)
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs – Syracuse University - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (05–11–2020)
Middle East Centre – London School of Economics & Political Science - ‘Egypt and the Politics of Migration in the Mediterranean’ (17–02–2020)
Amsterdam Centre for European Studies – University of Amsterdam - Panel on ‘Refugees, Migration & Governance in the Middle East & North Africa’ (25–11–2020)
Migration Policy Centre – European University Institute - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (20–11–2019)
Elliott School of International Affairs – George Washington University - ‘Syria, Forced Displacement, and the Rise of Refugee Rentierism’ (08–11–2019)
Center for European Studies – Harvard University - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (05–11–2019)
Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies – New York University - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (30–10–2019)
Marist College - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (24–10–2019)
University of Pittsburgh - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (10–10–2019)
Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies – Boston University - ‘The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt’ (24–09–2019)
Macmillan Center for International and Area Studies – Yale University - ‘Migration and Authoritarianism in Egypt’ (04–2019)
Department of Politics – University of Liverpool - 'Diasporas as Soft Power' (30–10–2017)
Center for Migration and Refugee Studies – The American University in Cairo - ‘Migration Diplomacy in the Eastern Mediterranean’ (15–07–2017)
Sijal Institute for Arabic Language and Culture in Amman, Jordan - ‘Agents of Nationalism: The Arab Cold War & Politics of Egyptian Migration’ (20–01–2016)
Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies – SOAS, University of London
Media Interviews & Coverage
- 2023, Jackson, L. ‘Tunisia’s Influence in Europe.’ The New York Times.
- 2023, Hindrichs, B. and A. Doran. ‘Refugees as a Commodity is the New Normal’ [in German]. Krautreporter.
- 2021, ‘Repressive Regimes are Tightening their Grip on their Citizens Abroad.’ The Economist.
- 2019, 'New Texts Out Now: Gerasimos Tsourapas, The Politics of Migration in Modern Egypt: Strategies for Regime Survival in Autocracies'. Jadaliyya.
