On April 8, the FGV Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on EU-LA Global Challenges, co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, and the FGV Centre for Global Law (CPDG), both directed by Professor Paula Wojcikiewicz Almeida, welcomed Professor Frédéric Mégret, Full Professor and Hans & Tamar Oppenheimer Chair in Public International Law at McGill University, for a research seminar on the intersections between diaspora and transnational law.

Moderated by Professor Paula Wojcikiewicz Almeida, Professor Mégret presented Thinking About Diasporas in Transnational Law, sharing an early draft chapter of his forthcoming book Diasporas and the Making of Transnational Law, co-authored with Larissa van der Herik. The presentation focused on the economic dimensions of diasporic communities, examining their relationships with both host and home States, as well as the legal and policy implications arising from remittances, investments, and transnational economic networks.

Throughout the seminar, Professor Mégret argued that the concept of diaspora offers a broader analytical framework than migration alone. Rather than focusing exclusively on immigrants, the notion of diaspora encompasses communities whose relationship with territory, sovereignty, and identity has been transformed by forced displacement, changing borders, political developments, or historical processes. This perspective provides new insights into the role of diasporic groups as actors in the development of transnational legal and economic relations.

Professor Mégret concluded by presenting the broader research agenda underpinning his forthcoming book, highlighting the growing relevance of diasporas in contemporary international law and global governance. The seminar was followed by an engaging discussion and Q&A session moderated by Professor Paula Wojcikiewicz Almeida, with the active participation of researchers from the Centre for Global Law (CPDG) and the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence.

The FGV Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and the Centre for Global Law sincerely thank Professor Frédéric Mégret for sharing his research and valuable insights on this timely and thought-provoking topic. We look forward to future opportunities for collaboration and continued discussions on emerging issues in international and transnational law.