CFP: “Governing Migrant Transnationalism” – IMISCOE Conference Geneva, 25-27 June 2015 

Governing Migrant Transnationalism

Organizers: Godfried Engbersen (EUR), Özge Bilgili (MSGoG), Marta Bivand Erdal (PRIO)

Deadline for abstracts: Monday 5 January 2014

Notification of acceptance: Friday 9 January 2015

Submission of panel proposal to IMISCOE: 14 January 2015 

This proposed panel for the 12th IMISCOE conference will focus on ‘Governing Migrant Transnationalism’ with an open approach to exploring the different scales and sites, as well as different actors, and forms of organization and structure involved in governing (and resisting governance) in connection to migrant transnationalism.

Interest in issues of ‘governing migrant transnationalism’ relate to the local and urban levels of both migrant origin and settlement countries, but also to the state-level, for instance with regard to the transferability of welfare related rights, citizenship laws and diaspora engagement policies. Access to equal rights and opportunities in employment and education, dual-citizenship rights, transfer of pensions or transnational health care services are some issues we would like to tackle from both empirical and theoretical perspectives. Moreover, the issue of ‘governing transnationalism’ may also be approached in terms of individual migrants and non-migrants experiences of governance in relation to their transnational identifications and practices, at different scales and in different geographic locations. We invite abstracts for papers that in different ways engage with the theme of ‘Governing Migrant Transnationalism’, based on empirical or theoretical work, quantitative or qualitative methods, from the perspectives of those governed or those governing and we welcome comparative contributions.

Topics might include, but are not limited to:

  • Links between citizenship legislation, discourse and transnational involvement
  • Governance of circular migration and short term employment schemes
  • Local and urban engagement initiatives for migrant transnationalism
  • Diaspora engagement policies of emigration countries
  • International cooperation between local authorities of emigration and immigration countries
  • City-to-city partnerships between migration corridors
  • Inclusion of non-governmental actors and the private sector in transnational practices
  • Transfer of economic and welfare related rights between emigration and immigration countries

Please send an abstract of 300 words, specifying the main research question, methods and findings, to Özge Biligili (ozge.bilgili@maastrichtuniversity.nl) and Marta Bivand Erdal (marta@prio.org), no later than Monday 5 January 2015.

Please include your full name, position, affiliation, and discipline in the submission of your abstract.