The motivations for the special issue were twofold. Firstly, and as we have  argued in the 2020 CeMoRe Manifesto, the advancement of a just and ecological mobilities transformation should be central to the work of mobilities scholarship at the current time. Secondly, the co-editors were keen to explore how such aspirations intersect with the major, though often unspoken, changes to the ways in which individuals and societies are now contemplating life course and planning for the future which became  visible in the Covid-19 pandemic, and which climate change is further forcing individuals and society to contemplate. 

The Symposium brought together a rich range of contributions which spoke to these concerns, and the special issue develops this thinking a step further. A central argument which we build in the special issue is that the auto/biographical genre offers theoretical and methodological starting points that are key to a just and ecological mobilities transformation. We make this argument in our introductory paper which is available open access ‘’.&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

The special issue is dedicated to the memory of our colleague, Russell Hitchings, Professor of Geography at University College London, who passed away in May 2024. As we say in our journal dedication, Russell contributed an inspiring and insightful talk at the Symposium on which this special issue is based, in which he eloquently engaged with the relationships between the three themes auto/biography, mobilities and climate change. His ideas and insights are frequently cited in our Introduction. We remember him with great respect; his intellectual contributions, and his kindhearted and welcoming presence will be missed by all who knew him.

The full list of papers in the Special Issue with links to abstracts and open access papers (where available) can be found below. If you are developing research which speaks to the theme of auto/biography and mobilities in a time of climate emergency, the co-editors Lynne Pearce and Nicola Spurling would be really interested to hear from you, on l.pearce@lancaster.ac.uk and n.spurling@lancaster.ac.uk.

Special Issue (currently available online) 

Pearce, L. and Spurling, N. J.  (open access)

Murray, L.  (open access) 

Spurling, N. J.  (open access) 

Lee, J.

Rau, H. and Matern, A.  (open access)

Kim, T.

Sheriff, R. E.

Joanna Allan, Associate Professor in Global Development at Northumbria University. Her latest book, Saharan Winds: Energy Systems and Aeolian Imaginaries in Western Sahara, will be out with West Virginia University Press in Autumn 2024.

Moiti Mohamed Azrouk, works at the Training, Entrepreneurship and Consultancy Centre (TECC) in the Saharawi state-in-exile. She is also currently working on an anthology of Saharawi poetry.

Katherine Baxter, Professor of English Literature at Northumbria University currently leading the Desert Disorders project in collaboration with Professor Deborah Sutton from ¶¶Òõ̽̽App, and Professor Farhana Ibrahim (from IIT Delhi).

While there is a small body of literature in Arts and Humanities research on poetry and diplomacy that reveals a relationship between the two in cultures across the globe, the vast majority of this research focuses on historical cases. On the other hand, International Relations literature has not considered the relationship between poetry and diplomacy. This webinar argued for greater consideration of the role of poetry and poets in diplomacy. Using the case of Saharawi poets engaging Spanish, Mauritanian and international audiences, the presenters contend that poetry can be considered a form of public diplomacy, and poets as public diplomats, when advocating for a state policy, interest or cause. They also show that studying poetry through the lens of public diplomacy allows us to learn more about the interplay of emotion and soft power. In doing so, they contribute to ongoing debates on the role of non-state actors in public diplomacy and on the place of emotion in diplomacy. The webinar is based on fieldwork carried out in late 2022 and early 2023 in Mauritania, the Saharawi state-in-exile/refugee camps in Algeria, and Spain.

In these uncertain times we are missing out on the usual kitchenette coffees and chats so CeMoRe is forming an online version in an attempt to create a research community and space for informal constructive discussion about our research projects and writing.

In the first session Nikki Pugh, Jonnet Middleton and Abi Lafbery will introduce recent articles they have read or talks they have attended on the topic of ‘mobility justice’, and/or reflect on how mobility justice does or might feature in their own work. This is by way of getting a discussion going on mobility justice, what it is, and how it relates to all our projects (or not).

Just bring yourself, a drink and your conversation!