Call for Panels und Papers
From a postmigrant perspective, migration research is a comprehensive examination of the prevailing power relations in local, national, European, and global contexts. The postmigrant perspective implies an open and holistic approach to (im)mobilities and migration societies. It involves dealing with discriminatory and racist structures and it makes ambiguities and marginalised perspectives visible. These should not be located at the margins. Rather, they express inequalities ranging from the global to the local level. Against this background, it is important to rethink (im)mobilities and arrival from different disciplines and perspectives (including world societal, postcolonial, decolonial, and subaltern), to establish a forward-looking and solidary understanding of migration and society, and to design a new topography of the possible.
Postmigrant perspectives are currently used in academia to engage with migration societies. In addition, they inspire artistic activities as well as social movements. This conference aims to connect these existing concepts with the increasing research on global inequalities and (im)mobilities, which has likewise distanced itself from the migrationist focus. Instead of concentrating on one group of mobile people, it considers their unequal treatment against the background of global mobility. Can postmigrant perspectives form a common denominator to bring together these different research approaches? And how would the theory have to be rethought to make this possible?
At the same time, the conference calls for developing postmigrant perspectives responding to the current context. Glocal and global polycrises promote national polarisation and postfactual ideologies, which are accompanied by increasing anti-migrant mobilisation and a political shift to the right, not only in Austria. How can we react to these challenges from a postmigrant perspective and how can postmigrant research become more deeply involved in the public discourse?
Against this background, the 8th Conference on Migration Research will focus on the following questions: What are the challenges and topics that migration research faces in the 21st century? What does critical migration research mean in view of global polycrises, tendencies towards social division, and postfactual politics? Which creative and newer methodological approaches have emerged from current migration research? To what extent do the arts influence and shape the discourse on migration? Which diversity-conscious and inclusive practices can be discerned in migration related fields of action and how are these implemented?
The organisers call for proposals for panels and papers. We are particularly interested in proposals displaying a multidisciplinary orientation and/or using a postmigrant perspective to discuss global inequalities, (im)mobilities, and migration societies. However, there are no thematic restrictions. The call is open to all panels and papers dealing with any further themes related to migration, mobility, and integration. Proposals for panels and papers can be submitted either in English or in German. We specifically encourage earlystage researchers towards submitting proposals for papers and panels and panel submitters to involve earlystage researchers.
Panels
Proposals for panels of 90 minutes (each including three to four short papers) should contain a provisional title and a description of the panel topic (800 words), highlighting the innovative potential of the panel in the context of existing research. The proposals should also include the titles and abstracts (250 words each) of the papers. The abstracts should include the specific research question, the theoretical and methodological approach and, where applicable, the data used. Panel suggestions should furthermore include one discussant who will critically comment on the papers to initiate the audience discussion. This person should not be a coauthor or member of the research team proposing the panel and papers. We encourage panel organisers to include presenters from various institutions and faculties. Interdisciplinary and internationally comparative panels will receive particular consideration.
Papers
Proposals for papers may also be submitted independently of panel proposals. Paper submissions should contain a provisional title and a short summary (500 words) explaining the research question, the theoretical and methodological approach and, where applicable, the data used. We especially welcome interdisciplinary and internationally comparative papers.
Please submit your proposals by 15 January 2024 via the following website: https://www.conftool.net/migrationsforschung-at-2024
Selection of panels and papers will be completed by 5 April 2024.
In order to facilitate detailed commentator feedback and inspiring discussions, we request that presenters submit written draft versions of all papers by 2 September 2024 via the following website: https://www.conftool.net/migrationsforschung-at-2024
A programme committee consisting of experts from a wide variety of disciplines will help the organisers select the panel and paper proposals. Apart from quality and originality, thematic agreement with the conference theme will also be a decisive criterion.
Participants are personally responsible for the organisation and coverage of all costs towards travel and accommodation related to the conference. Suggestions for accommodation as well as all other conference information will be available on the conference website: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/jahres-tagung-migrationsforschung2024
In the absence of sufficient funding, we reserve the right to charge a small fee to cover the costs of service and catering.
This conference is organised by the ÖAW’s Commission for Migration and Integration Research and Institute for Urban and Regional Research together with the University of Innsbruck’s Research Centre for Migration & Globalisation, Doctoral College Dynamics of Inequality and Difference in the Age of Globalization, Faculty of Educational Sciences/Department of Educational Science/Migration and Education, Philosophical and Historical Faculty and the Faculty of Geo- and Atmospheric Sciences. Collaborating institutions are Eurac Research, Bozen, and the MCI Management Center Innsbruck. In addition, local institutions and initiatives from Innsbruck participate as cooperation partners.