INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

IMIN CENTER

PACIFIC ROOM
8 SEPTEMBER 2022
9:00AM - 4:30PM
1777 EAST-WEST ROAD
HONOLULU, HI

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
9:00AM

COFFEE & REGISTRATION

9:30AMWELCOME & OPENING REMARKS
Suzanne Vares-Lum, President, East-West CenterPeter Arnade, Dean, College of Arts, Languages & Letters, University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa
Alexander Mawyer, Director, Center for Pacific Islands Studies

9:45AMINTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL ISSUE
Mikiyasu Nakayama, Global Infrastructure Research Foundation Japan

10:00AMSESSION 1

10:00AM

Migration with Dignity: A Legal and Policy Framework
Shanna N. McClain, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

10:30AMThe Methodology and Application of a Migration with Dignity Framework
Carl Bruch, Environmental Law Institute11:00AM

Migration in the Midst of a Pandemic: A Case Study of Pacific Islanders in Oregon
Scott Drinkall, George Mason University

11:30AM

LUNCH

12:30PMSESSION 2

12:30PM

Highly Skilled Migrant Workers as a Vulnerability of Small Island Developing
States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cases of Three Countries in Micronesia
Miko Maekawa, Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace Foundation

1:00PM

Alternatives for the Marshall Islands to Cope with the Anticipated Sea Level Riseby Climate Change, Ryo Fujikura, Hosei University

1:30PM

Mitigating Impacts of Climate Change Induced Sea Level Rise by Infrastructure
Development: Case of the Maldives
Akiko Sakamoto, Global Infrastructure Fund Research Foundation Japan

2:30PM

Pivotal Factors in the Acculturation of the Second-Generation MarshalleseImmigrants to the United States
Junko Toyoshima, Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace Foundation

2:30PM

COFFEE BREAK

2:45PM

CLOSING

2:45PM

Part I: Findings secured and lessons learned

3:30PM

Part II: Policy recommendation and research agenda for further studies

4:30PM

END OF PROGRAM

1BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES
Migration is dynamic and varies greatly across the globe due to myriad factors, including
demography, economy, geography, and environment. As people move, a number ofchallenges exist that can leave human rights and human dignity as an afterthought to themigration process.
COVID-19 has drastically changed mobility and migration in key spheres, such astransportation, travel, construction, and hospitality. Our collaborative research wasconducted between 2020 and 2021; therefore, we had the opportunity to witness a oncein-a-century global pandemic with direct impacts on migration inflows and outflows.
Consequently, we have included pandemics as a key theme for consideration in this issue,believing that the research agenda should be informed by the assessment of impacts inboth the atoll countries and in the United States – the most common “destination” ofPacific Islanders. This additional research revealed the vulnerabilities of migrants in thedestination countries and in their home countries, vulnerabilities that would not otherwise
have been apparent.
Our research was also directly impacted by the pandemic. We intended to conduct fieldresearch in countries such as the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the Federated
States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of Maldives, with the RMI and FSM serving as
countries of “origin” for migration to the United States. In the Maldives, there is a large
domestic migration from the atolls to the newly constructed man- made islands. We
experienced research and travel limitations due to COVID-19, where many countries haveadopted strict isolation policies to prevent the spread of disease. Therefore, we had toconduct our surveys remotely using the Internet or by asking collaborators living in the area
to conduct surveys on our behalf.
Our research also touches on the issue of the intergenerationality of immigrants in terms of
how migrants adapt or assimilate into the receiving society, and how the mass media plays arole in the perceptions of migrants and the perceived problems associated with immigration
by host countries. The results of our research were published in a series of papers in theJournal of Disaster Research Vol.17 (2022) No.3 (Apr), Special issue on Migration, Dignity,Fragility, and Pandemics. The authors will present highlights from this special issue. Thisinternational conference will serve as an arena to disseminate what we have found throughour research and engage a wide range of stakeholders in relevant discussions.

2PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIESCarl Bruch
Environmental Law InstituteBrief Career:
2017- Senior Adjunct Professor, American University School ofInternational Service
2018- Founding President, Environmental Peacebuilding Association
2006- Senior Attorney and Director of International Programs,
Environmental Law InstituteSelected Publications:“Migration with Dignity: A Case Study on the Livelihood Transition ofMarshallese to Springdale, Arkansas,” J. of Int. Migration andIntegration, Vol.21, pp. 847-859, 2019.
“Environmental Rule of Law: First Global Report,” UN Environment
Programme, 2019.
“Climate Change Adaptation and Int. Development,” Earthscan, 2010.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (E-LAW)

Scott Drinkall
George Mason University
Brief Career:
2018- Environmental Law Institute 2019- Nexight Group, LLC
2015- Research Analyst, University Research Co., LLC
2012- Legislative Analyst, Hawaii State House of Representatives
Selected Publications:S. Drinkall, J. Leung, C. Bruch, K. Micky, and S. Wells, “Migration withdignity: A case study on the livelihood transition of Micronesians toPortland and Salem, Oregon,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.15, No.9, pp. 12671276, doi: 10.20965/jdr.2019.p1267, 2019.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
American Association of Geographers (AAG)

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PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES
Ryo Fujikura
Professor, Faculty of Sustainability Studies, Hosei University
Brief Career:
1999-2003 Professor, Faculty of Economics, Ritsumeikan University
1995-1999 Associate Professor, Institute of Environmental Systems,
Kyushu University
1984-1995 Officer, formerly Environment Agency of Japanese Government
Selected Publications:“Resettlement Policy in Large Development Projects,” Routledge, 2015.
“Climate Change Mitigation and Development Cooperation,”
Earthscan,2012.
“Climate Change Adaptation and Int. Development,” Earthscan, 2010.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:Society of Environmental Science, Japan (SES)Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies (SEEPS)Japan Society for International Development (JASID)

Shanna N. McClain
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Brief Career:
2017- Program Manager, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2011- Consultant, Joint OCHA/UNEP Environmental Emergency Unit
2009- Visiting Scientist, Environmental Law InstituteSelected Publications:Migration with Dignity: a Case Study on the Livelihood Transition ofMarshallese to Springdale, Arkansas,” J. of Int. Migration andIntegration, Vol.21, No.3, pp. 547-589, 2019.
“Migration, Transition, and Livelihoods: A Comparative Analysis ofMarshallese Pre- and Post-Migration to the United States,” J. DisasterRes., Vol.14, No.9, pp. 1262-1266, 2019.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
American Meteorological Society (AMS)

4PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES
Miko Maekawa
Senior Research Fellow, Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace
Foundation
Brief Career:
2014- Joined Sasakawa Peace Foundation2013- Lecturer, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University
2012- Assistant Professor with “Wisdom of Water” (Suntory) Corporate
Sponsored Research Program, The University of Tokyo
2000-2007 Joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Selected Publications:M. Maekawa, P. Singh, D. Charan, N. Yoshioka, and T. Uakeia,“Livelihood Re-Establishment of Emigrants from Kiribati in Fiji,” J.
Disaster Res., Vol.14, No.9, pp. 1277-1286, 2019.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:Japan Society of Ocean Policy (JSOP)
Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies (SEEPS)Japan Society of Evaluation (JES)

Alexander Mawyer
Associate Professor & Director, Center for Pacific Islands Studies
Brief Career:
2021 - Director, Center for Pacific Islands Studies
2016- Associate Professor, Tenured, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
2014- Assistant Professor, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
2007 - Assistant Professor Lake Forest College
Selected Publications:L. Pappas and A. Mawyer. 2022 "The Place of Space in Oceanic
Linguistics." Oceanic Linguistics 61(1).
A. Mawyer. 2021 "Floating Islands, Frontiers and Other Boundary
Objects on the Edge of Oceania’s Futurity." Pacific Affairs 94 (1): 123–144.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:
Association of Social Anthropologists of Oceania (ASAO)
European Society for Oceanists (ESFO)
Scientific Council of the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme du Pacifique

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PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIESMikiyasu Nakayama
Global Infrastructure Fund Research Foundation Japan
Brief Career:
2020- Managing Director, Global Infrastructure Fund Research FoundationJapan
2004- Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo
1999- Professor, United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo
University of Agriculture and Technology
1989- Associate Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University
Selected Publications:
M. Nakayama, I. Taafaki, T. Uakeia, J. Seru, Y. McKay, and H. Lajar,“Influence of Religion, Culture and Education on Perception of Climate
Change, and its Implications,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.14, No.9, pp. 12971302, 2019. •S. N. McClain, C. Bruch, M. Nakayama, and M. Laelan, “Migration withdignity: a case study on the livelihood transition of Marshallese toSpringdale, Arkansas,” J. of Int. Migration and Integration, Vol.21, pp.
847-859, 2020.
Academic Societies & Scientific Organizations:Japan Society of Hydrology and Water Resources
Environmental Peacebuilding AssociationAkiko Sakamoto
Global Infrastructure Fund Research Foundation JapanBrief Career:
2020- Secretary General, Global Infrastructure Fund ResearchFoundation Japan
2008- Joined Global Infrastructure Fund Research Foundation Japan
1991- Joined Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc.
1991- Bachelor of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Keio University

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PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES
Junko Toyoshima
Research Fellow, Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace
Foundation
Brief Career:
2016 Received her Doctorate degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology
2003 Received her Master’s degree from University of Hawaii
Selected Publications:J. Toyoshima and K. Nadaoka, “Case studies of conflict resolution
processes between fisheries and marine tourism in coral reef areas ofJapan and possible application of payment for ecosystems services(PES),” J. of the Japanese Coral Reef Society Vol.18, pp. 11-24, 2015 (inJapanese).
J. Toyoshima and K. Nadaoka, “Importance of environmental briefing
and buoyancy control on reducing negative impacts of SCUBA divingon coral reefs,” Ocean & Coastal Management, Vol.116, pp. 20-26,
2015.
S. R. Santos, J. Toyoshima, and R. A. Kinzie III, “Spatial and temporal
dynamics of symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium: Dinophyta) in
the perforate coral Montipora capitata,” Galaxea: J. of Coral ReefStudies, Vol.11, No.2, pp. 139-147, 2009.

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