Contested migration regimes: European perspectives and beyond
The Research Network 35 "Sociology of Migration" is now announcing its second mid-term conference, to be held from 13 to 14 November 2014 at Goethe University Frankfurt.
The aim of the conference is to provide a platform for those who have already met at earlier conferences to continue the discussion, and to invite other scholars to join them in this endeavour. Thematically, this conference will bring together various sociological approaches to the political regulation of migration and mobility such as the emergence of (European) migration regimes over the past decades, the discourses and practices involved, the social and cultural contexts of political regulation and the impact of migration regimes on migrants' lives and practices.
Theme of the conference
The media debates on Islamophobia and the electoral success of the far right, current refugee movements throughout Europe and recurring protests against FRONTEX are recent examples of the controversial character of migration politics in Europe. The concept of 'migration regime' provides a helpful framework to address the contested and complex dynamics of current migration politics from a sociological perspective. It allows us to explore the interplay of political decision making, established legal frameworks, dominant discourses of belonging and institutional configurations in the political regulation of migration. Migration regimes can thus be seen as specific assemblages of institutions, political actors, legal regulations and discourses which structure social practices of geographic mobility and individual decision making.
Starting from the concept of migration regimes, the midterm conference will cover five broad issue areas:
- Sociological diagnoses of current changes
- Political institutions and practices involved in the regulation of migration
- Effects on migrants' lives and practices and 'evaluation' of policies from below
- Links to politico-economic transformations
- Sociological self-reflection
The organizers encourage contributions on theoretical, empirical and methodological issues. Studies involving longitudinal and/or comparative analyses and contributions focusing on the European context are particularly welcome, as are papers which analyse everyday practices and strategies of action and resistance of migrants and their families.
Deadline for submission of abstracts (max. 200 words) and brief biographical notes is 1 April 2014. Please send your documents to esa.migration@yahoo.com.
Call for paper (Download)