Nordic Migration Research > Organisation > Statute

NMR – Nordic Migration Research
An International Non-Profit Organisation

§1 Name
1) Hereby is constituted an international non-profit organisation referred to as Nordic Migration Research.
2) The organisation may use its name in an abbreviated form, namely the NMR.

§2 Registration
1) NMR is at any given time located with its secretariat in one of the four countries Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland.
2) The hosting of NMR is rotated in turn among the member countries at three-year intervals.
3)  NMR is currently located with its office in Copenhagen.

§3 Objectives
1) NMR is an organisation of individuals conducting or using research related to different aspects of international migration and ethnic relations such as integration, ethnicity/race, culture, religion, marginalization, citizenship, nationalism, discrimination and racism.
2) The objectives of the organisation are to:
a.  stimulate and promote comparative Nordic scientific research on migration and ethnic relations, to promote the formation of closer research networks among Nordic researchers, institutions and research projects, and to support individuals seeking to visit other institutions as guest researchers for shorter periods of time.
b. increase awareness of NMR related issues and research results in the public debate in the Nordic countries and in a global context
c. provide support for scholars embarking on this field of research
d. promote collaboration concerning education at the Master and PhD levels
e. organize and support conferences and courses with the capacity to contract with local organizers to whom the organisation can confer all powers and liabilities
f. publish a Nordic,English-language scientific journal
3) The organisation is empowered to conduct all matters directly or indirectly linked to its objectives. It may in particular take part in and deal with any activity similar to its objectives.

§4 The organisation NMR
1) The organisation NMR is organized around:
a. The members through the general assembly
b. The management board appointed by the members at the general assembly
c. The secretariat (the chair, vice-chair, and treasurer)

§5 Membership
1) Membership of NMR is open to individuals from both Nordic and other countries.
2) Membership can be assigned to Academics and non-academics whose field of work, study and research fall within the scope of the themes and objectives described in § 3 item 1 and 2.a. 
3) Membership is granted on the basis of an application made to the board of NMR.
4) NMR has the right to charge a membership fee.
5) The membership fees are determined for a three year period by the General Assembly.
6) Membership of NMR covers periodical newsletters, reduced fees (when feasible) for attending conferences organised by the organisation, and reduced fees for subscriptions to the journal that is published by NMR.
7) A member of NMR who has not paid membership fees for two consecutive years forfeits membership and membership rights.
8) The members of the organisation NMR can resign from the organisation by sending a letter to the chair of the organisation or to a national entity to which the awarding of membership is delegated.
9) Any member who resigns and the personal representatives of any member, who has resigned or died, shall have no claim on the assets of the organisation NMR.

§6 The general assembly
1) The general assembly consists of individual members of the organisation.
2) The general assembly has full powers to pursue the objectives of the organisation.
3) The general assembly convenes every third year, preferably in conjunction with the Nordic Migration Conferences.
4) The general assembly is entitled:
a.  to modify the statute of organisation and to dissolve the organisation in accordance with legal provisions in force
b.  to exercise any other right arising from the law or the statute of the organisation
c.  to elect the members of the management board (see §7) and 1 substitute from each of the four countries
d.  to appoint auditors (see §8) that have been given the mandate to ratify yearly the budgets and accounts and 1 substitute from each of the four countries
e.  to elect members of the election committee (see §9) and 1 substitute from each of the four countries
5) Any rights not specifically vested in the management board are conferred to the general assembly
6) The date and venue of the general assembly will be announced 6 months in advance on the homepage.
7) The agenda for the general assembly will be announced thirty days before the meeting by the chair of the organisation along with the list of candidates to the management board as suggested by the election committee (see §9).
8) Any proposal submitted to the secretary can only be put on the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the general assembly following the proposal if the secretary has received the proposal 7 days before the meeting.
9) No member can be represented at the meeting of the general assembly
10) Except for exceptional cases provided for in the present statute of the organisation the resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of the members who are present and vote and. In case of a tie the chair shall have a casting vote. All members shall be informed within 2 weeks.
11) The resolutions of the general assembly shall be recorded in a minute-book signed by the chair and the vice-chair of the organisation, who shall make it available for inspection by the members.

§7 Management board
1) The organisation is administered by a management board.
2) The management board consists of three representatives from each of the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The representatives are appointed by the general assembly. The board appoints among its members a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a treasurer.
3) The representatives described above, shall be individually elected by the general assembly by a simple majority of the members who are present and vote. Along with the representatives, 4 substitutes (1 from each of the four countries) are elected.
4) The appointment of a member of the management board can be revoked by the general assembly acting by a majority of two thirds of the members who are present and vote.
5) A member of the management board can only be elected for two terms after which the member must be replaced.
6) In case of the chair’s inability to act, his or her functions shall be dealt with by the vice-chair.
7) In cases where a member of the management board retires or in other ways are unable to act upon his or her mandate the management board can appoint a replacement from the same country.
8) The management board shall meet upon notice by the chair or upon the request of a simple majority of its members.
9) The 4 elected substitutes for members of the management board, 1 from each of the four countries, can participate in board meetings, but cannot participate if issues are put to the vote.
10) Its resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of the members present and voting. In case of a tie the chair shall have a casting vote.
11) The resolutions taken at the meetings of the management board shall be recorded in a book of minutes signed by the chair, who shall make it available for inspection by the members of the organisation.
12) The management board may exercise full powers in regard to the management and administration of the organisation. The management board may delegate the daily management of the organisation to the chair or to the vice-chair.
13) Without the following enumeration being restrictive in any way and without prejudice to any other power deriving from the law or the constitution, the management board is empowered to enter into any agreement and any contract, accept sponsoring, donation and transfers, confer power upon agents of its choice, whether members or not; and to represent the organisation before any court, either as defendant or as claimant.
14) The management board is also empowered to appoint and revoke the appointment of employees or agents of the organisation; cash or receive amount or value; draw blocked amounts; open bank-accounts; carry out transactions including withdrawal of money; hire a bank safe; cash postal payments.
15) All obligations, other than of ordinary administration, which are to bind the organisation, shall be signed by the chair and one other member of the management board, except in the case of special proxy.
16) The members of the management board acting in that capacity do not undertake any personal obligation and are only responsible for the execution of their mandate.
17) The management board writes an annual report which is to be ratified by the auditors (see §8).

§8 Auditors
1) At the general assembly four auditors, representing the four countries, are elected. Four substitutes, representing the four countries, should also be elected.
2) The auditors are given the mandate to ratify on an annual basis the annual report, the budgets and accounts for the past year and to approve the budget for the next year.

§9 Election committee
1) At the general assembly an election committee is elected.
2) The election committee consists of four persons, representing the four countries along with four substitutes, also representing the four countries.
3) The objective of the election committee elected at any present general assembly is to provide a slate of candidates for the management board to the election at the following general assembly three years later.
4) The slate of candidates provided by the election committee shall be announced 30 days before the general assembly.
5) Members of NMR may suggest candidates to the management board through communication to the election committee.
6) Other candidates than those suggested by the election committee can be added to slate of candidates. Other candidates shall be announced to the election committee no later than 7 days before the general assembly. The election committee will announce such nominations before the general assembly after ensuring that the nominees are eligible.
7) If an election committee member and his or her substitute are unable to fulfill their task, the management board is given the mandate to appoint a new member to the election committee taking the national representation into account.

§10 The secretariat
1) The secretariat manages the administrative tasks and maintains the website.
2) The secretariat is placed in the country where the organisation is currently located.
3) The secretariat rotates along with the chairmanship.

§11 The NMR Journal
1) The NMR Journal is devoted to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed research in different aspects of international migration and ethnic relations such as integration, ethnicity/race, culture, religion, marginalization, citizenship, nationalism, discrimination and racism.
2) The focus of the NMR Journal is primarily, but not exclusively, on aspects of the aforementioned themes, which are of particular relevance to the Nordic countries and in a global perspective.
3) The NMR Journal is inter-disciplinary, it is a forum for both applied and theoretical research and it seeks to attract high-quality, original contributions from both Nordic and non-Nordic researchers.
4)  The NMR Journal is edited by a committee of editors appointed by the board.

§12 Funding
1) The organisation is funded by membership fees and grants and donations from various Nordic, national, and international sources.

§13 Budgets and accounts
1) The financial year of the organisation NMR shall begin on January 1st and end on December 31st.
2) Before January 31st in any year the management board of NMR shall submit the accounts of the previous financial year for the approval of the auditors elected by the general assembly together with the budget for the current year. The accounts and budget are drafted by the Treasurer, and approved by the chair and vice-chair before being presented to the Board.

§14 Amendments to the statute of NMR
1) Any proposal to amend this statute shall be made by the management board of NMR or by at least 5 members of NMR.
2) Proposals to amend this statute should be forwarded in writing to the management board no later than 30 days before the general assembly to be put on the agenda.
3) The proposals will be announced by NMR secretariat no later than 7 days before the general assembly.
4) No decision shall be taken concerning amendments if they are not voted for by the majority of those members who are present at the general assembly.

§15 Dissolution
1) Any proposal to dissolve the organisation shall be made by the management board of NMR or by a simple majority of the general assembly.
2) At least three months in advance the management board of NMR shall inform the members of the organisation of the date of the meeting of the general assembly at which such a proposal is to be considered.
3) No decision shall be taken if it is not voted for by two thirds of those members who are present at the meeting of the general assembly.
4) The general assembly of NMR shall determine the method of dissolution and liquidation of the organisation.

§16 General provisions
1) Anything that is not foreseen in the foregoing statute shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law of the country where the organisation NMR is located.
2) The daily internal functioning of the organisation may be regulated by internal rules, proposed and amended by the general assembly of NMR and agreed upon by a simple majority of votes.