Call for Papers for workshop proposal for the 23rd IMISCOE Annual Conference – 29 June - 2 July 2026, Girona
“Transdisciplinary engagements for Post-migrant Futures”
organised by Dr. Madlen Pilz (Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS), PD Dr. Anna-Lisa Müller (Institute for interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence (IKG), Bielefeld University)
Since long Migration studies has observed how European societies evolve into post-migrant societies (Gaonkar et al. 2021; Foroutan 2018; Langhoff 2011), that are being deeply shaped through migration processes, irrespective of the individual migration experiences of its members. This transformation is accompanied by negotiations and conflicts regarding institutional affiliations, social participation, values, and political structures. These conflicts unfold in diverse social contexts and point to underlying processes of re-evaluation and renegotiation that challenge and disrupt social cohesion, sparking a quest for a new collective identity and shared value framework. In this line, central ideas of a post-migration narrative were progressively influencing municipal and national action plans in the last years to foster a new collective self in the increasingly diverse societies. However, there was still a notable imbalance in who was assigned to shoulder this transformation: it was largely ‘the migrant other’ seen as responsible to adapt. The role of and the level of engagement from the broader society in the process of shaping a collective identity for a post-migrant future remained rather opaque. Interestingly, this was true for both research and practice/policy. By now, however, we observe a shift in this transformation as a backlash towards more repressive policies and nationalistic narratives takes place. This poses questions regarding the future of post-migrant societies and the role of the different actors and stakeholders involved in shaping this future.
Based on these observations, we invite submissions for a workshop at the 2026 IMISCOE Annual Conference that focusses on how science and society could contribute to strengthening changes toward post-migrant futures. With this, we intend to bring methodological approaches to transdisciplinary research and the theoretical concept of prefigurative (political) practices into dialogue. Prefigurative practices aim at the “transformation of the existing” through the “daily rehearsal of the new” (Redecker 2018: 1). Prefigurative practices have the potential to lead to social and institutional change and new narratives and identities through changing the ordinary, common, well-established modes of acting in everyday life. Research has shown that participatory approaches are particularly suited for forming and establishing prefigurative practices. Key are equitable relationships among actors and collaborative knowledge production. Transdisciplinary settings promise to be ideal contexts in which those relationships can blossom and prefigurative practices emerge.
We encourage submissions for either paper presentations or shorter interventions that address one or more of the following questions:
- How can we (science and society) collaboratively develop compelling visions for our future post-migrant society?
- What practices and attitudes can we actively modify in our daily lives today to prefigure the future post-migrant society? How do these practices contribute to transforming democracy?
- In what ways can we leverage irritations and conflicts as constructive instruments in the process of negotiating a new collective identity?
- Which instruments can be used in the everyday to foster the development of shared ideas, attitudes and everyday life practices that support the change and prefiguration of our future post-migrant society?
Please send your abstract (appr. 200 words) to Madlen Pilz (