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Dr Edward Alessi’s research examines how structural conditions, national and international policies and psychosocial issues impact the health, well-being and integration of LGBTQ+ (im)migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Additionally, he is focused on developing community-based interventions to buffer the negative effects of integration-related stressors on LGBTQ+ migrants’ health and mental health. He has led studies in the United States, Canada, the European Union and South Africa. Dr Alessi has also been recognised for his teaching. He was awarded the Rutgers University Presidential Fellowship for Teaching Excellence in 2017. In addition, he received the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award four years in a row (2013-16).
Drawing on an intersectional framework and the concept of structural violence, at the IAS Dr Alessi conducted a qualitative research project that examined the perspectives of solicitors, social care and mental health professionals, and directly affected individuals to explore how cuts to legal aid in the UK have impacted the asylum process for those seeking protection based on persecution of their LGBTQ+ identity. This study was driven by a critical need to understand the psychosocial and legal consequences of the drastic cuts to legal aid in the UK, which began in 2012 and have left many asylum seekers without adequate legal representation. This study aligned with the IAS’s interdisciplinary research focus, bringing together various areas of study including human rights, law, queer migration, postcolonial studies, sociology, and social and health inequities/disparities. This study was developed in conjunction with a London-based organisation that supports LGBTQ+ people through the asylum process.
